FG trains 2000 local dairy farmers

FG trains 2000 local dairy farmers
…promises to continue partnership with Friesland Campina
ABUJA- THE Federal Government yesterday disclosed that 2000 local dairy farmers have been trained on to boost milk production in the country.
This was stated by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Sen Heineken Lokpobiri, during the visit by delegation from Friesland Campina WAMCO, Nigeria Plc, led by the Managing Director, Ben Langat in his office.
Lokpobiri who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr Bukar Hassan, told the delegation that dairy products form a major part of the ongoing school feeding programme by the Federal Government to enhance pupils' brain performance.
He said: “We appreciate the visit by delegation from Friesland Campina WAMCO, Nigeria Plc to the Ministry. Peak milk in Nigeria is a household name and every home takes it.
“The Ministry would continue to partner with Friesland Campina WAMCO, Nigeria and other relevant companies to make milk and other dairy products available for the masses.
“The Ministry had so far trained about 2000 local farmers in dairy production, and we have a robust Department of Extension Services that would be mandated to further train additional local farmers in order to boost milk production in the country.”
The Minister also maintained government’s readiness to address the company’s request of infrastructural development in Oyo state, where he said rural infrastructure remains one of the priorities of the Ministry, which was to construct more rural roads for easy transportation of farm produce to markets across the country.
“We will continue to work together, one of the needs of government’s support is to open up the rural areas, there is need to open up access roads to convey agricultural produce”, he added.
Earlier in his address, leader of the delegation, Mr Ben Langat, said the company’s appeal was to receive support in the area of infrastructural development and enabling environment to boost the company’s milk production.
Langat stated that the company has been very supportive in providing the dairy needs of the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, in the North East region of the country, and continued commitment towards the nutrition of Nigerians.
According to him, the company has been on capacity building for pastoralists and farmers in order to increase their milk production to a target of 75 litre per farmer and per day, and also creating jobs.

He disclosed that the company had built and opened four milk collection centres while the 51 other centres would be opened soon at Iseyin in Oyo state, and added that these milk collection centres have reduced high bacterial infection caused by traditional method of milk collection, which has been in partnership with the Ministry, hence the quality of milk produced in the country.

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