The National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) has trained dairy entrepreneurs/farmers on ways of enhancing productivity in the sub-sector.
Declaring the workshop open in Ilorin, Kwara State, the director-general of NOTAP, Dr. Danazumi Ibrahim, pointed out that Nigeria is blessed with a high number of cattle but due to the nomadic way of life, the nation still yields a meagre volume of milk.
The situation, he said, was further compounded by poor and inadequate knowledge of the modern techniques of cow-breeding.
He said that Vietnam and the Netherlands, which produce the highest volume of milk globally may not have the number of cows Nigeria has but apply global best practices in cattle-breeding to ensure high milk yield. He added that technology is what rules the world and for dairy entrepreneurs to develop their businesses to the point of producing enough milk for the Nigerian market, they must adopt the modern methods of ranching, breeding and cow-milking.
Represented by the agency’s director of consultancy services, Dr. Adamu Tandama, Ibrahim said that cows that produce enough milk are ranched in a centre where they are well fed, with adequate hygiene assured.
The NOTAP boss advised the dairy entrepreneurs to form corporate societies and groups, as history has shown that the level of success for individual dairy entrepreneurs/farmers is far less than when they form groups.
He further stated that the reason for the workshop was to sensitise dairy farmers on the best global practices in dairy production, as well as introduce them to the use of high breed cows that are higher in milk yield than the local cows in the country.
Ibrahim further stated that to ensure technology transfer and global best practices in dairy production, the office in 2013 entered into a partnership with Friesland Campina WAMCO who established a mini-milk collection centre in Ibadan, Oyo State.
He added that the company built a settlement for herders, ranched their cows and introduced them to the modern methods of growing cows and milking processes which has turned to a lucrative business for even non-herders around the locality.
Ibrahim said the project was introduced as a result of NOTAP’s collaboration with Friesland Campina WAMCO Nigeria Plc, to add local content to milk produced in Nigeria and also ensure the availability of milk for the nation’s teeming population.
A statement by the agency’s assistant chief public relations officer, Raymond Ogbu, said during the technical session, the participants were introduced to the key elements of entrepreneurship to guide them towards a high success rate in their businesses, as well as the modern techniques in product marketing.
The statement further said participants were taught that marketing of products was an essential aspect of business, as goods produced without buyers, especially perishables will put the entrepreneur out of business through losses.
