NIGERIA – The Nigerian Government has unveiled the new National Dairy Policy to catalyze development in the livestock and dairy sectors.
The policy announced by Vice President Kashim Shettima is a key component of the National Development Plan (2021–2025) and seeks to achieve sustainable economic diversification.
Speaking at the unveiling, Mr. Shettima, represented by his senior special assistant on agribusiness, Kingsley Uzoma, highlighted the theme of the 2024 Milk Day, “Harnessing Nutrition and Investment Opportunities in a Sustainable Dairy Value Chain.”
He emphasized the global significance of dairy, noting that it supports the livelihoods of one billion people worldwide. Shettima stressed the economic and employment opportunities dairy farming presents, particularly for youth.
“Our livestock farmers often face issues such as inadequate animal feed, conflicts over grazing lands, and the adverse effects of climate change,” Shettima stated.
He acknowledged the challenges of violent conflicts between farmers and cattle herders over land use. He noted that the policy, formulated through extensive consultations with stakeholders, will serve as a roadmap for energizing the dairy industry in the coming years.
“The policy will tackle several obstacles, including the lack of modern best practices for cross-breeding and calving, high milk costs, and poor transportation infrastructure,” he said.
In addition, Shettima highlighted that Nigeria currently spends US$1.5 billion annually on dairy imports due to insufficient domestic production.
With Nigerians consuming an average of 1.6 billion liters of milk and its products annually, the policy aims to boost local production to meet this demand and eventually enable the country export dairy products under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).
He added that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is committed to achieving national production security.
The policy’s implementation will focus on improving dairy farming practices, increasing investment in dairy processing and preservation, and promoting evidence-based policy implementation and enhanced collaboration.
Shettima emphasized fostering public-private partnerships, embracing technology and innovation, and empowering women-friendly and youth-centric business models.
“Its implementation will promote good animal health practices and monitor and evaluate progress,” he said.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Abdullahi, also remarked that the national dairy policy aligns with the federal government’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ to reposition the livestock sector.
He noted that the policy would create a supportive environment for growth in the dairy sector, ultimately fostering a robust and competitive dairy industry in Nigeria.
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