Governor Nasir El Rufai has revealed that his administration has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Denmark based company, Arla Foods International (producer of Dano milk), to boost diary production in Kaduna State. This move is also expected to reduce the number of herdsmen that will have to move around the country for grazing.
While disclosing this on Monday, El Rufai stated that the project will show nomadic herdsmen the possibility of engaging in current livestock production without moving all over the country. Governor El Rufai says this will ensure security in the state and the nation at large. For context, the movement of herds all over Nigeria has led to conflict between farmers and herdsmen.
According to Arla’s Vice President, Steen Hadsbjerg, who was present at the signing of the agreement, the project is a huge one for Arla as well as the first of its kind in the world, as handled by the company. He further claimed that when fully operational, the project will create at least 50,000 jobs alongside an investment portfolio of 100million Euro while increasing Arla’s food production.
Speaking on the aim of the project, Governor El Rufai says,
“we want to show that it is possible for livestock production to be a business rather than a culture or habit or lifestyle but something that can empower and enrich our herdsmen and women”.
To put this in context, herding is a Fulani culture for which many of the herdsmen do not exactly earn monetarily. Often times, it is done on behalf of the elites; the herder is just living his life while the owner of the Cattle trades with it.
Governor El Rufai is also hoping this agreement would lead to the development of the grazing reserve in Kubau local government.
Speaking on why Arla was chosen for the agreement, the Governor stated that an expert in the field like Arla would provide the technical assistant, technology, as well as management and guidance for the state government’s effort. The MoU, according to the Governor, was the first step needed to be exploited with hopes of replication in other States. He repeatedly affirmed his support, stating that the state government would do whatever it takes to see to the success of the project which would solve political, economic and security problems for Nigeria.
Not such a new idea
In 2016, the then Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, had on behalf of the Federal Government, signed an agreement with Arla foods to boost the dairy industry. He expressed his enthusiasm about the project by stating that
“what you are doing excites me a lot because Nigeria is at a critical time in its development. The population is growing extremely fast. We have a lot of children malnourished, almost 27 percent”.
Arla’s representative, Steen Hadsbjerg said the company would train 200 farmers and also produce 1,000 litres of milk per day. He disclosed that under the MoU, work would commence in Kwara and Kaduna states before it would proceed to include farmers from across Nigeria.
Also in 2016, West African Milk Company (WAMCO) disclosed its willingness to invest N3billion in its small holder dairy farmer programme in Nigeria. This intention was made known by Managing Director, Friesland Campina WAMCO, Raul Colaco, at the renewed signing of its MoU which was first signed in 2011, with the federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. He had explained that the investment was the company’s commitment towards the development of dairy and livestock production in Nigeria, stating that the process started “…five years ago with the Agriculture Ministry”.
He also expressed commitment to the local communities by ensuring that they would support existing dairy farms starting with Micopal in Kaduna state by assisting them technical wise. The company which is the maker of Peak, Three Crowns and Friso brands of milk, also disclosed its desire to empower over 2,500 dairy farmers in the country who would be top producers of dairy products in Nigeria and Africa in accordance with its pioneered Dairy Development Programme, DDP, since August 2010.
