FG ready to boost dairy sector

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD),  Alhaji Muhammad Sabo Nanono has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to boost dairy productivity at the value chains towards sustainable food security. 

This was contained in a press statement made available to the media yesterday.

Speaking during the opening ceremony of a Wider Stakeholders Engagement on National Dairy Policy held at the Reiz Continental Hotel, on Tuesday 30/03/21, Sabo Nanono stated in the press release that the Federal Government is committed to providing the  enabling environment for sustainable direct investment in the dairy industry and other key sectors of the economy. 

According to him, “the Federal Government welcomes at all times , the support , collaboration and partnerships with all concerned stakeholders towards ensuring the success of her National food security and economic diversification initiatives”.

While highlighting the present situation of the dairy industry, the minister noted that the industry is “largely subsistence  and consist of local milk production, processing and marketing"

The Minister explained that “the per capita consumption of milk is 8 liters per year representing very low consumption levels when compared with the global averages of 44 litres of milk , consequently, the long neglect of the livestock sector has put a lot of burden on the import bills of the country”

Nanono therefore stressed “the need to foster sub-sectorial growth, one that is inclusive of smallholders and all key players along in the dairy value chains, as he required the buy-in of national and multinational stakeholders.

“To facilitate this growth, the Ministry is presently collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Industry Trade and Investment (FMITI), Raw Material Research Development Council (RMRDC), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning and the private sector, to promote and develop the local dairy industry’’.

He said that the collaboration will facilitate the process of evolving a National Dairy Policy that will articulate a clear road map and strategies for the attainment of the development aspirations in the sector.

He charged  the Stakeholders  to ensure inputs from all angles to the policy document that will be forwarded to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for approval and subsequent presentation to the general public for guidance.  

In his remarks, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba  Richard Adeniyi Adebayo stated that ,”the essence of the policy is not to puncture the existing success recorded in the dairy industry but rather  to strengthen it., adding that the dairy policy document is consistent with the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP)”.

Otunba Adebayo assured that the “government will consider and harness the inputs, observations and contributions arising from this  engagement with a view to taking a position that will be in the best interest of the dairy industry and the economy in general “.

In his welcome address ,the  Permanent Secretary in the Ministry , Dr Ernest Umakhihe said  that ‘’ Nigeria is far from meeting national sufficiency in dairy production in particular, and therefore spends a huge amount on the importation of dairy products to bridge the huge gap between supply and demand’’.

He said that  ‘’ the proposed policy, therefore, is to give defined direction for the country’s dairy industry where all players at whatever scale will be expected to abide by  the rules of operation, in terms of production, processing and marketing of dairy products in Nigeria,”

The 2- day engagement meeting has in attendance  : the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Food and Agricultural Organs(FAO), the Central Bank of Nigeria( CBN), Sahel Consulting, Raw Materials Research Development Council, (RMRDC), Federal Ministry of Finance. Budget and National Planning, Advance Local Dairy Development in Nigeria (ALDDN), amongst others. 

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