By lucy Ogalue

The National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANT) has commenced training for 40 dairy farmers to enhance local milk production in the country.

The training is also aimed at reducing Nigeria’s dependence on milk imports, which cost the country approximately 2.5 billion dollars annually.

Dr Ken Okoha, President of NANT, said this at the association’s two-day capacity building workshop on milk production, handling and business management on Thursday in Abuja.

According to Okoha, the initiative is part of efforts to promote self-sufficiency in the dairy sector by equipping farmers with modern and hygienic milk production techniques.

“The Central Bank of Nigeria statistics from 2020 showed that Nigeria spent about 1.5 billion dollars on milk imports.

”It is a paradox that in spite of being the largest livestock producer in West Africa, we still rely heavily on imported dairy products.

“This training, held at our livestock production facility near the University of Abuja, aims to introduce small-scale dairy farmers to best practices in milk hygiene, processing, and storage,” Okoha said.

According to him, participants will be equipped with essential protective gears like boots, gloves, and nose masks after the training.

He said that this was to ensure that the milk quality met regulatory standards set by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control.

“In addition to training, we have provided cold storage facilities, motorcycles, and monitoring vehicles to help ensure proper milk handling and transportation from remote communities,” he said.

Okoha said that the project was designed to empower local dairy farmers by providing market access and off-take agreements, ensuring that they had a stable income.

“We are also engaging final-year agricultural students from the University of Abuja to gain practical experience from the factory.

“This initiative will enable them to transition from theoretical knowledge to becoming agripreneurs and entrepreneurs in the livestock sector.

“This collaborative effort seeks to transform Nigeria’s dairy industry, reduce import dependency, and promote economic growth within the agricultural sector,” he said.

According to the NANT president, each participant is expected to train at least 25 other farmers after which the trainer will be certified.

As part of the sustainability plan, he said that NANT had set up milling facilities for maize, rice, and sorghum processing, allowing farmers to produce animal feed locally and reduce reliance on external sources.

Also speaking, Ibrahim Jibrin, Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Zuba Zone, described the programme as a transformative effort for dairy farmers.

“This is something we longed for but have never seen before.

“With the training and modern equipment, our people can now produce quality milk that meets industry standards and companies will buy from us. We appreciate this support,” he said.  (NAN)

Edited by Franca Ofili/Kadiri Abdulrahman