FrieslandCampina WAMCO to launch Nigeria’s First Expertise Center for Dairy Development

Dairy giant FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC, in partnership with key stakeholders will launch Nigeria’s first expertise Center for dairy development in a few days.

The initiative – Center for Nigerian Dutch Dairy Development (CNDDD) – will focus on improving dairy productivity and sustainability throughout the entire dairy value chain in Nigeria, based on Dutch expertise gained for more than a century.

According to Ben Langat, Managing Director, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC, the new Center will foster cooperation among dairy stakeholders.

In a statement issued in Lagos, Langat said, “The Center for Nigerian Dutch Dairy Development will engage and promote cooperation between the government, private sector, academics, students and dairy farmers. It will undertake activities that will improve the dairy chain in Nigeria, focusing on both the upstream and downstream sides of the chain.”

The CNDDD will be the expert research and training institute for dairy development in Nigeria. It will focus on breeding, farm and feed management, quality control, and productivity (yield per cow).

Putting things in perspective, Langat also explained that the Nigerian dairy sector presently faces major challenges, “however, FrieslandCampina WAMCO in partnership with the Federal Government is determined to transform the sector from its current subsistence phase to a commercial quality-focused model” he said.

FrieslandCampina WAMCO envisages that as the country’s population continues to grow, the establishment of a strong agricultural sector is one of the pillars that will bring economic and social stability in Nigeria.

This requires a fundamental long-term development of all areas needed to create a strong effective and efficient dairy sector based on milk yield, milk quality, breeding strategy, feeding, collection infrastructure, and a route to the market.

Confident about how the Center for Nigerian Dutch Dairy Development (CNDDD) would deliver on its objectives, Langat said, “with FrieslandCampina’s dairy expertise and grass-to-glass philosophy, we are committed to growing the local dairy industry. From our experience, close co-operation between public and private sector has proven to be a key success factor.”

“FrieslandCampina is pleased to be able to share its 150 years’ experience in dairy farming and production with its Nigerian partners through the Center for Nigerian Dutch Dairy Development (CNDDD).”

Stakeholders are invited to join this landmark event scheduled to hold on Thursday, 15 October 2020 at 10:00a.m. by registering on https://tinyurl.com/CNDDD-Launch.

FrieslandCampina WAMCO has been at the center of developing local milk sourcing through its Dairy Development Programme (DDP). This investment spanning across 5 states in Nigeria with over 9000 dairy farmers (including 950 women) has seen solid and sustained growth over a decade. Learning from experience, FrieslandCampina WAMCO, therefore, aims to broaden and deepen inclusive growth in local milk sourcing by partnering to provide the required expert support and improve knowledge of local dairy farmers.