The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammad Abubakar, has revealed the ministry’s readiness to partner with FrieslandCampina Wamco as part of efforts to improve Nigeria’s dairy sub-sector and boost the local production of milk.
The minister made this known when he received the top management of FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc led by its executive director, corporate affairs, Mrs. Ore Famurewa, in his office in Abuja.
He pointed out that the continuous cooperation and collaboration with Friesland Wamco was in line with the diversification policy of President Muhammadu Buhari, in the agricultural sector, geared towards achieving food and nutrition security, as well as the generation of more revenue for the nation.
Abubakar said the ministry will do everything in its capacity to continue to partner and support the organisation, seeing as they both have common interests in the dairy sub-sector.
He emphasised the Federal Government’s commitment to addressing the issue of insecurity and climate change as it affects agricultural activities and productivity in the country.
In her remarks, Famurewa said that the company would continue to partner and collaborate with the ministry to improve the quality of locally-produced milk, capacity-training for small-holder dairy farmers in modern technologies on how to boost production and increase their earnings.
In his presentation, the global director, dairy development and milk streams, FrieslandCampina Wamco, Mr. Jeroen Elfers, said the organisation is a pioneer dairy company in Nigeria and has gone into partnering and working with the ministry through the animal husbandry services department to boost production of local milk production and other value chains in the dairy sub-sector.
According to her, the company’s goal is to provide good nutrition, provide better income for small-holder dairy farmers, create more jobs and a sustainable value chain in the sub-sector.
In her remarks, the director, animal husbandry services department in the ministry, Mrs. Winnie Lai Solarin, appreciated the organisation for their technical support and contributions to the dairy sub-sector.
Meanwhile, in another event, the minister was decorated by the national chairman, Armed Forces Remembrance Day Committee, Maj. Gen. Abdulmailk Jibril (Rtd), as part of events leading up to the commemoration of the Armed Forces Remembrance Day in 2022.
Abubakar stated that the nation remained eternally grateful to the gallant men and women who paid the supreme price for the country’s survival and unity, and urged both the public and private sector to support the veterans and families of the fallen heroes.
