By Sani Adamu Hassan
A newly constructed dairy milk collection centre in Shira Local Government Area of Bauchi State has commenced daily production of 2,000 litres of milk.
The centre, situated at the Sawi Grazing Reserve in Adamami, was established by the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development aimed at boosting local milk production and reducing Nigeria’s dependency on dairy imports.
The Managing Director L&Z Integrated Farms, Alhaji Mohammadu Abubakar whose company manages the facility highlighted that Nigeria continues to face a significant milk supply gap despite having over 22 million cows.
He revealed that the country spends approximately $1.5 billion annually on milk importation, a trend the Federal Government hopes to reverse through its new livestock development policy and the creation of a dedicated Ministry of Livestock Development.
“Improving milk aggregation and collection infrastructure is essential to achieving self-sufficiency in dairy production,” Alhaji Abubakar stated.
Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of Shira Local Government Area, Hon. Babangida Maliya, expressed his full support for the success of the facility, assured stakeholders of enhanced security and continuous community engagement.
He also encouraged pastoralists to supply milk to the centre and emphasized the importance of promoting education among rural dwellers particularly women and girls by discouraging farm activities that prevent school attendance.
In his goodwill message, the District Head of Disina, Alhaji Abdullahi Mustapha, commended L&Z Integrated Farms for their role in making the facility a reality, urging herders to take full advantage of the centre by consistently supplying milk to ensure its sustainability.
Dr. Tagwi James, Director of Livestock Development at the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, called on state governments to complement federal efforts by supporting livestock-related policies and programs.
Speaking on behalf of the benefiting community, the Chairman of Miyetti Allah in Shira Local Government, Umar Muhammad Hassan, described the dairy milk collection centre as a welcome development for the Fulani community, saying that the facility would significantly boost economic growth and livelihoods in the area.
He also appealed to the state government to establish a nomadic school in the community to ensure children, especially from pastoralist families, have access to western education.
The commissioning ceremony was attended by officials from the Bauchi State Ministry of Agriculture, traditional leaders, Fulani representatives, and other key stakeholders.