The Value4Dairy Consortium, led by FrieslandCampina, has successfully obtained a $5 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to boost the Nigerian dairy sector. The grant, covering 50% of the Consortium’s latest project, aims to enhance productivity and sustainability in Nigeria’s dairy industry.
The Consortium’s model envisions the creation of three self-sustaining dairy zones in Oyo, Osun, and Abuja, serving as hubs for training and supporting 10,000 pastoralists and smallholders, with future plans to include 40,000 milk producers. Each dairy zone will feature essential infrastructure, facilitating the processing of aggregated milk into nutritious dairy products by FrieslandCampina WAMCO.
The project aims to empower local farmers by providing access to advancements in feed, breeding, sustainable farming practices, and market routes, leading to increased milk production at lower costs. Additionally, the program seeks to contribute to food security, higher farmer incomes, improved nutrition, reduced conflicts between herders and farmers, enhanced water access, and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
The program has a gender-intentional focus, incorporating interventions to empower women in various activities and additional income generation. Jeroen Elfers, Global Dairy Development Director at FrieslandCampina, expressed the company’s commitment to building resilient local dairy value chains and welcomed the Gates Foundation grant as a means to accelerate the project.
Roger Adou, Managing Director of FrieslandCampina WAMCO, highlighted the Consortium’s efforts in creating the largest dairy value chain in South-West Nigeria. Launched in April 2021, the Value4Dairy Consortium comprises strategic partners FrieslandCampina WAMCO, URUS, Barenbrug, and Agrifirm.
