FAO holds dialogue on boosting dairy production in northeast Nigeria in wake of crisis
Maiduguri- Nigeria- In the wake of the insurgency in the northeast, animal ownership has declined, especially in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States. The reductions can be attributed to various factors, including a loss of earnings due to market disruptions, the firesale of assets caused by insecurity as well as property destruction wrought by armed groups. To examine the dairy production challenges and opportunities in northeast Nigeria, FAO held a one-day workshop in Maiduguri on 12, February 2018. The event included dairy industry stakeholders across the region, including representatives from government ministries, breeder associations, the private sector and academia.
The objectives of the workshop were to get an overview of dairy production situation in the states, assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to dairy production systems and to map out potential areas of livelihood interventions, recommending key activities.
During a series of presentations, participants noted the great potential for improved dairy production as a means of poverty reduction due to pastoralists’ familiarity with dairy, the huge resource of animals, strong internal demand and the dairy industry’s traditional inclusion of women.
Bottlenecks to the growth of the industry were identified as the lack of quality animal feed (cultivated pasture or rangelands) and poor milk yield due to poor local breed’s genetics, notably short lactation periods. Poor dairy management, low availability and access to animal health services and weak dairy marketing systems were also pegged as major gaps.
To combat these issues, experts called for animal feed and water provisions, as well as animal health support to smallholder dairy producers, particularly resource-poor pastoralists. They also recommended increased training and capacity development in areas such as postharvest management and the marketing of milk among smallholder dairy producers and their associations.
‘The region has a high dairy production potential. However, there is an urgent need to increase the productivity of local breeds through improved techniques such as artificial insemination,’ said Alhaji Zanna Mustapha, Director of Livestock Services in the Ministry of Animal Resources and Fisheries Development in Borno State. Mustapha also stressed that a decade long insurgency has led to limited access to traditional grazing lands, as these areas are sometimes designated ‘no go’ zones by the military.
Stressing the large dairy market and consumer base, workshop participants called for infrastructure support to the region and shared that a standard dairy plant to collect milk from pastoral groups, especially nomads, was absent in Borno, home to about 60 percent of Nigeria’s livestock.
‘Low livestock and dairy productivity can worsen the food security situation in the northeast and lead to a decline in incomes, dietary diversity and nutrition. Increasing dairy production as part of a comprehensive livestock sector strategy, that makes smallholder producers its center, will contribute to a sustainable recovery process in the northeast,'' said Nourou Macki Tall, Deputy FAO Representative in Nigeria.
Contact:
Patrina Pink
Communication and Outreach Officer
FAO Maiduguri Sub-Office
Borno State, Nigeria
E-mail: [email protected]
Cellphone: 080-5126-5255
Opeyemi Olagunju
Communication and Reporting Officer
FAO Maiduguri Sub-Office
Borno State, Nigeria
E-mail: [email protected]
Cellphone: 080-651-66646