The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development and Nestlé have signed a Letter of Intent for the establishment of the Nestlé Dairy Training Centre, commemorating World Milk Day.

The LOI signed by Nestlé Nigeria managing director Wassim Elhusseini and the minister of livestock development, Idi Maiha, in Abuja, was sequel to the unveiling of the Nestlé Dairy Demonstration Farm in February.

Mr Elhusseini said the centre, geared towards skill development, aimed to enhance the quality and volume of milk production in Nigeria and address critical needs within the dairy sector.

He said the LOI reflected a shared commitment to develop mid-level technical and vocational skills essential for strengthening Nigeria’s dairy value chain, ensuring food security, improving nutrition and fostering sustainable livelihoods.

“The partnership also focuses on enhancing milk quality and productivity across local dairy clusters through knowledge sharing and technical support.

”In addition to our global dairy expertise, Nestlé has developed the capacity to deliver tailored training programmes on best practices in dairy farming, specifically adapted to the Nigerian context.

“This is why the LOI signifies more than a formal agreement; it reflects our mutual dedication to bridge the gap in mid-level technical skills within the dairy sector to meet the growing demands of the market,” he said.

Mr Elhusseini said that by investing in the future of Nigeria’s dairy sector, Nestlé was dedicated to building capacity and capability for a sustainable and prosperous industry that supports the nation’s development.

Mr Maiha said the ministry had taken significant steps to address the challenges facing the dairy value chain since its establishment in 2024.

Mr Maiha said the ministry, under the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy, was focusing on key pillars, which included livestock value chain development, feed and fodder improvement, among others.

Mr Maiha said the ministry’s collaboration with Nestlé Nigeria would lead to the inauguration of a dairy training centre in Paikon Kore, Gwagwalada, aimed at building mid-level manpower and training farmers to enhance productivity through modern practices.

“From the inauguration of its Dairy Development Project (NLDP) in 2019, Nestlé Nigeria has been actively contributing to the enhancement of the dairy sector. The NLDP has established 83 dairy cooperatives, benefiting over 3,000 milk producers and has aggregated more than one million litres of raw milk.

“Nestlé has also trained over 2,000 milk producers in best practices, vaccinated over 36,744 cattle, and facilitated water access through the construction of 19 boreholes and 28 water troughs.

“These efforts have led to significant improvements in milk quality, reducing rejection rates from 12 per cent in 2021 to as low as five per cent in 2024, while monthly revenue for milk producers has increased from ₦70,000 in 2019 to ₦250,000 in 2024,” stated the minister.

Mr Maiha said the unveiling of the Nestlé Dairy Demonstration Farm in February provided a practical model to illustrate how best practices could safely increase milk production of local breeds from an average of one litre per cow daily to over 10 litres.

(NAN)