AS part of process of strengthening technical know-how of dairy farmers in the country and also providing a ready market for their dairy product, the Friesland Campina Wamco Nigeria Plc, makers of peak, Three Crowns and Friso brand of milk has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Government.Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Managing Director of the company, Mr. Bob Steetskamp noted that the project was geared towards sourcing raw milk from Nigerian farmers to produce Peak milk and other brand of the company, adding that the private-public partnership would, among others, trigger growth in the Agro-economic sector of the country.He added that the partnership became necessary based on the huge success recorded from the Dairy Development Programme launched at the Shonga Dairies, Kwara State, in 2010 hinting that the dairy farm had been able to produce 5000 liters of milk since the inception of the project in the farm.Steetskamp explained that the first phase of the project would start from Iseyin in Oyo State and later Gwagalada in Abuja, noting that the success of the programme would determine its extension to other state of the federation.Stressing the low production of dairy product in the country, he stressed that the company would be working mostly with small-scale farmers, adding that the programme would enable farmers sell their dairy product at a reasonable price.According to him, as partners, we will work together to improve dairy farming by strengthening the capacity of farmers, increase the market share of locally produced milk, as well as, create employable labour and expand investment oppourtunities.The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) representative, Dr. Rabe Mani in his remark noted that Nigerias milk production as remained stagnant for the past four years with a fluctuating rate of 468,000-469,000, noting that the partnership was a welcome development for the growth of milk production in the country.Ascribing the low rate of milk production in the country to the animal breed, Mani called on the minister of Agriculture to look into the improvement of breed in the country adding that there was need to strengthen the development of dairy industry.The Board of Director of the company, Mr. Jacobs Moyo Ajekigbe, in a remark, called on the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Prof. Sheik Abdullah to put in structures that would ensure the sustainability of the project.He urged the government to be consistent in their policy and also provide funds to ensure the success of the programme in all part of the country.The minister in his speech applauded the initiative, stating that the Public Private Partnership would among others add value to local product, which is in line with directive of President Goodluck Jonathan on the need to add value to local product.Abdullah maintained that the MoU would help promote the development of local dairy industry in the country and also help facilitate the use of locally produced milk by indigenous industries.He said, by the initiative FCWAMCO will, locally source milk producers and also provide technical assistance to the extension workers by assisting in introducing best practice technologies for milk production, collection, processing, transportation, packaging and marketing to farmers to ensure safety and sustainable value of milk at profitable cost to farmers.He, however, called private companies to also follow suit in partnering with the ministry for the growth of agriculture and reduction of poverty in the country.
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