The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to evolving a National Dairy Policy to stem annual import of milk and other dairy products estimated at 1.3billion dollars.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Bello Umar, who made this known at the 4th Global Dairy Congress Africa in Abuja on Thursday, decried that Nigeria imported 60 per cent dairy with only 40 per cent local production.
Umar was represented by the Director, Department of Animal Husbandry Services of the ministry, Bright Wategire.
He said the policy would help tackle the multi-faceted challenges in the dairy sector in the country.
The Two- Day Congress has the Theme, “Accelerating Investment and Cooperation of Dairy in Africa”.
Umar decried that the Nigerian cattle contributed a conservative estimate of 50,000 litres to daily supply and consumption of aggregated and bulked milk, which he said was less than 20 per cent of local potential.
He said: “Nigeria’s milk production is poor as it accounts for only 13 per cent of West African production and 0.01 per cent of global dairy output.”
According to the permanent secretary, the move to improve Nigeria’s output has become necessary to increase its global rating.
He stressed that improving output would also boost revenue generation, create job opportunities and ensure healthy living for citizens.
Umar expressed concern that the sub-sector was currently bedeviled by the challenges of infrastructure development, processing, quality control, product development, industry and sectoral cooperation.
He further decried that the Nigerian dairy industry was largely subsistence and could not compete favourably in the world.
He said: “The theme for this congress aligns with the aspiration and agenda of government to improve dairy sub-sector to a level where it will be a major global player in supply of wholesome dairy products.”
This he said would ensure “increased employment, foreign earnings and means of livelihood for our people”.
He said:  “Despite its huge cattle population, Nigeria’s milk production falls short of its demand, with the majority of the national herds owned mostly by small holders and peri-urban cattle farmers.”
“Thus, there is a huge potential for a viable dairy industry, built around these producers with an appropriate linkage to commercial dairy processors.
“Furthermore, access to inputs and cows of proven genetic quality also constitutes a major constraint due to rudimentary status of the Nigerian Dairy Value Chain.”
This development he said might constitute a potential area of veritable investment for discerning stakeholders.
The permanent secretary said that among other things, the national dairy policy would foster sub-sectoral growth, inclusive of smallholders and all key players along the value chain.
According to him, the policy will articulate clear roadmap for strategies involving broad spectrum of stakeholders and multinationals.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Sunday Akpan, said dairy was one of the agriculture subsector that Nigeria had comparative advantage in and should be taken seriously.
Akpan was represented by the Deputy Director Industrial Development Department in the ministry, Evans Temang.
He said the ministry was deepening collaboration with other stakeholders to develop a dairy policy that would reposition the subsector.
He said the policy would strengthen the entire value chain, adding that it would not in any way affect existing successes recorded in the subsector.
Akpan said: “Diversification of the economy is one of the cardinal objectives of the present administration, particularly on products that Nigeria has comparative advantage in.
“Available indicators reveal that agriculture is one sector Nigeria can leverage upon and the dairy subsector has been identified as one of the areas where Nigeria has comparative advantage.
“The essence of the policy is to create enabling environment to attract more investments across the value chain.”
He noted that the congress was timely, stressing “a lot would be learnt to add value to the dairy policy direction”.
Commending stakeholders for contributing to the country’s Gross Domestic Product, Akpan called for commitment to take the subsector to a higher level.
The Vice President of a Danish-based dairy company, Aria Global Dairy Products Limited, Steen Hadsbjerg, said Nigeria’s milk consumption was below World Health Organisation requirement.
According to him, while the WHO requirement stands at 18kg daily, the daily milk consumption in Nigeria is approximately 11.2kg.
He noted that the statistics was an indication that more needed to be done in improving local milk production and consumption in the country.
Hadsbjerg called for collaboration among stakeholders, saying, “if things have to work it has to be okay for all stakeholders”.
He said there was need to create enabling environment for investment opportunities, market development and collaboration among key players, for a robust dairy subsector.
He said:  “We need to improve on production and increase consumption and there should be a balance between import and export.
“We will be lying to say that we can rely solely on local production. We also need to promote ranching for better milk production.
“The cows we have in Nigeria are made for beef, so we need ranching to ensure improved milk production.”
Hadsbjerg said as part of efforts to contribute its quota, his company had signed Memoranda of Understanding as well as developed models to help boost the subsector.
He said: “We have a vision to contribute to a commercial viable dairy sector for the sector to succeed.”
NAN reports that high point of the event was the exhibition of dairy products.
Kenya, Senegal and Ethiopia are among countries present at the event, while more than 60 local and international companies were represented.

Source: The Eagle