The federal government has unveiled a new National Dairy Policy aimed at revitalizing the livestock and dairy sectors.
The policy, launched by Vice President Kashim Shettima on Tuesday, seeks to enhance the development of the industry and promote sustainable national economy diversification.
Speaking at the document unveiling, Shettima, represented by Senior Special Assistant on Agribusiness Kingsley Uzoma, noted that dairy products have been widely promoted globally since their introduction, supporting over one billion people’s livelihoods.
He acknowledged dairy farming’s potential for economic development and job creation but also addressed challenges like inadequate animal feed, grazing land conflicts, and climate change impacts.
“The National Dairy Policy is a direct response to these challenges,” Shettima stated.
According to him, the policy aims to address issues like lack of modern breeding practices, high milk costs, and poor transportation infrastructure. Currently, Nigeria spends $1.5 billion annually on importing dairy products due to a production deficit.
Shettima noted that Nigerians consume an average of 1.6 billion litres of milk and its products, but domestic production is insufficient to meet this demand. “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is determined to achieve national production security, with the longer-term goal of eventually exporting dairy products to other African countries under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).”
He explained that implementing the policy is expected to lead to improved dairy farming practices, increased investment in processing and preservation, and data-driven policymaking. “Its implementation will promote good animal health practices and monitor and evaluate progress,” Shettima said.
In his remarks, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security Aliyu Abdullahi commended the policy’s alignment with the government’s “Renewed Hope Agenda” to revitalize the livestock sector.
He said the document would create an enabling environment for growth of the dairy industry.