Nestlé has announced an ongoing collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development to launch a Dairy Technical Skills Development Program.
This initiative was formalized through a letter of intention (LOI) signed on Monday outside the event to commemorate World Milk Day.
The historical association aims to improve the quality and volume of milk production in Nigeria, addressing critical needs within the dairy sector.
The LOI reflects a shared commitment to develop technical and vocational skills of medium level essential to strengthen Nigeria's dairy chain, guarantee food safety, improve nutrition and encourage sustainable livelihoods.
The association will focus on establishing capacity construction programs focused on milk, processing, hygiene and management. It is also expected to promote relevant skills for the industry through training modules developed in collaboration with interested parties.
In addition, the Association will improve the quality and productivity of milk in local dairy groups through knowledge exchange and technical support.
Speaking during the signature ceremony, Wassim Elhusseini, managing director and CEO of Nestlé Nigeria PLC, said: “In addition to our global dairy experience, Nestlé has created the capacity to provide specific training programs on best practices in dairy agriculture adapted to the Nigerian context.
“That is why the letter of intention means more than a formal agreement; it reflects our mutual dedication to close the gap in the medium level technical skills within the dairy sector to meet the growing market demands.
“We are sure that this will have a positive impact on our communities by creating more jobs, improving livelihoods and supporting a stronger economy.”
The Minister of Development of Cattle, Alhaji Id Mukhtar Maiha, in his comments, said: “From the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Development of Livestock, we have taken significant measures to address the challenges facing the dairy value chain.
“According to the National Growth Acceleration Strategy, we are focusing on key pillars, including the development of the cattle value chain and the improvement of food and fodder. Our collaboration with Nestlé Nigeria will lead to the implementation of a dairy training center in Paikon Kore, Gwagwalad Modern practices through modern practices. ” “
Since its launch of its dairy development project (NLDP) in 2019, Nestlé Nigeria has actively contributed to the improvement of the dairy sector.
The NLDP has established 83 dairy cooperatives, benefiting more than 3,000 milk producers and adding more than 1 million liters of raw milk. Nestlé has also trained more than 2,000 milk producers in the best practices, vaccinated with more than 36,744 cattle and facilitated access to water through the construction of 19 wells and 28 water channels.
These efforts have led to significant improvements in milk quality, reducing the rejection rates of 12 percent in 2021 to so at least 5 percent in 2024, while monthly income for milk producers have increased from ₦ 70,000 in 2019 to ₦ 250,000 in 2024.
The launch of the Nestlé dairy demonstration farm provides a practical model to illustrate how best practices can safely increase the production of milk from local breeds of an average of 1 liter per cow per day to more than 10 liters.
After the launch, the honorable minister invited Nestlé Nigeria to turn the farm into a training institute, an opportunity that Nestlé enthusiastically accepted, which led to the signing of Loi today.
By investing in the future of the dairy sector of Nigeria, Nestlé is dedicated to developing capacity and capacity for a sustainable and prosperous industry that supports the development of the nation.
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