FrieslandCampina WAMCO commissions new milk collection centre in Saki, Oyo State

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FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC, makers of Peak, Three Crowns and Friso brands of milk and the pioneer milk manufacturer in Nigeria, has commissioned a fifth milk collection facility for its Dairy Development Programme (DDP) in Saki, Oyo State.

The facility was launched by his Excellency, the Executive Governor of Oyo State, Governor Abiola Ajimobi, on June 8, 2017 in Saki community, Oyo State.

In a statement issued by the company’s Corporate Affairs Director, Mrs. Ore Famurewa, she said, “Since 2011, FrieslandCampina WAMCO has been investing in the DDP and has established the country’s largest milk collection network. Today, the company collects milk from about 1700 farmers in over 70 communities in Oyo State, who as a result receive good remuneration directly from the company.”

“Our DDP model has proven to be quite successful, hence in February 2017, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC, Sahel Capital Partners & Advisory and the Oyo State Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on the Nigeria Dairy Development Programme (NDDP). The programme aims to strengthen the Dairy Transformation Agenda of government by demonstrating proof-of-scale in Nigeria’s processor-led initiatives for dairy development as modelled by FrieslandCampina WAMCO’s Dairy Development Programme (DDP).”

Executive Governor of Oyo State, Governor Abiola Ajimobi commissioning the Saki Milk Collection Centre in Saki, Oyo State on June 8, 2017

“Since its inception, activities of the DDP has spanned across key growth subjects including: Identification of dairy value chain actors; Sensitization, registration and organization of potential dairy farmers; Training of farmers and extension workers; Milk collection, testing and quality control; Crossbreeding; Tsetse eradication programmes; Improved and hybrid pasture cultivation demonstrations for farmers. Dairy study tours have also been organised for selected farmers to dairy outfits in Kano and Kaduna states to enhance their knowledge of dairy farming best practices and improve their skills.

A large network of dairy farmers (men and women) are currently engaged in the DDP, receiving training in extension services and various forms of improved dairy farming practices particularly targeted at increasing the quality and quantity of raw milk production.

The DDP provides a commercially viable business model that benefits over 70 farming communities among which 962 women that supply raw milk to these milk collection centers on a daily basis have been empowered. This has greatly improved the livelihood of these erstwhile subsistence farmers” Famurewa noted.

To succeed with the DDP, FrieslandCampina WAMCO engages and collaborates with both, local and international public sector project partners, including the Federal Ministry of Agriculture andRural Development (FMARD), Oyo State Government, National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), 2SCALE, Wageningen RU, Animal Care Limited, International Fertilizer Development Centre, FrieslandCampina Nederland Holding B.V and Sahel Capital Partners.

Future expansion plans include the introduction of commercial credit to farmers, building confidence between benefiting farmers and financial institutions for viable agri-business and supporting dairy cooperatives in Nigeria. These interventions will improve the livelihood of raw milk suppliers in Nigeria particularly in Oyo state by increasing the productivity of their cattle and integrating them into the formal dairy value chain in Nigeria.

In his statement, Governor Abiola Ajimobi, thanked and commended FrieslandCampina WAMCOfor pioneering the DDP and underscored the company’s role in the development of dairy farming, a sure way of eliminating poverty, and creating entrepreneurs.

The Saki Milk Collection Center is the fifth Milk Collection Center and has a capacity to hold about 12,000 litres daily. This is planned to serve about 500 new dairy farmers in the area. By this investment, we will further reduce the distance covered to deliver milk for bulking and help manage quality before the milk is transported to the production factory.