The Milk Value Chain Foundation has met with 64 dairy farmers from 15 clusters across Kaduna state on how to continually increase the quantity and improve the quality of cow milk produced in the state.
The Milky Way Project, supported by the Danish Government, Arla Farms and Milk Value Chain Foundation is a five year project, which started in Kaduna state in 2017. The Project, which has achieved 1,000% increase in milk production, 200% percent increment in the income of milk producers and adoption of new technologies by the stakeholders, will come to an end this month. Thus, a Close Out Workshop took place on Monday in Kaduna to consolidate on the gains of the project and prepare for life after the project.
Speaking on the essence of the workshop, the Chief Executive Officer, Milk Value Chain Foundation, Dr. Ishaq Bello said the farmers were drawn from Damau, Kubau, Gadan Gaya, Zaria, Roghoyi, Kurmin Data, Kurmin and Kachia among others. “We are here for a Close Out Workshop. It’s essentially a workshop that is holding at the end of a project, to discuss the achievements, challenges and the way forward.
“We brought in 64 farmers from various clusters in 15 communities that we are working with directly, our direct beneficiaries, and the core project partners to discuss the achievements of the Milky Way Partnership Project in the different areas. In trainings that we have done severally and the effects, the outcomes of those trainings because when you train the outcomes are very important. We have trained them on dairy business, on dairy and milk hygiene, for cooperative formation, on animal health and pasture production too, feeding.
“We have seen great improvement, adoption of those technologies that we taught them; issues of farmers going into pasture production, farmers contributing money, farmers selling their ‘inferior’ livestock to hire a better breed on their own. We have also seen a great improvement in their livelihood which is a great achievement. We have also discussed the key achievements of our partners like the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development that constructed roads to these communities at least three of them have asphalt roads, which are very gigantic.
“We also highlighted the benefits of the partnership and collaborations, we have partners that provide boreholes and animal health services which are different from what we have done. And the need for farmers to know how to cater for issues of feeding, of pastures, issues of supplementary feedings which are key to production.”
Speaking on what the feedback looks like, Dr. Bello said, “the feedbacks from the farmers are very encouraging. Lots of them want the project to continue but it is a project, it has to end. It’s a joyous moments for all of us”.
Cov/ Adamu Yusuf
