By Stanley Onyekwere
As part of a strategic roadmap to modernize Nigeria’s livestock sub-sector, the Jigawa State Government has entered into a technical partnership with L&Z Integrated Dairy and Farms and Sahel Consulting to implement the Advancing Local Dairy Development in Nigeria (ALDDN) project.
The initiative, designed to transition subsistence pastoralism into a high-yield commercial enterprise, seeks to address the dual challenges of low dairy productivity and the perennial farmer-herder conflicts through institutionalized genetic transformation and financial inclusion.
Speaking during the inauguration of milk collection and veterinary equipment in Dutse, the Commissioner for Livestock Development, Professor Salem Abdulrahman Lawan, lamented the inefficiency of traditional husbandry.
He revealed that the state is finalizing plans to establish a semen production center to facilitate large-scale artificial insemination.
Reflecting on global benchmarks, Professor Lawan noted: “If you look at history, India was once like Nigeria in terms of production. But they institutionalized themselves.
” Today, they have more than 300,000 technicians involved in artificial insemination. We want to replicate that in Jigawa State.”
The Commissioner pointed out the stark disparity in yield, noting that while a local cow struggles to produce two to five liters of milk daily, improved breeds in similar climates produce upwards of 30 liters.
“For someone having 20 heads of cattle with our current yield, compared to someone with only two cows taking 80 liters… the former is virtually a waste of feed,” he added.
The ALDDN project, spearheaded by Sahel Consulting, is not merely focusing on biology but also on the economic integration of the pastoralist woman.
Abdullahi Baba Muhammed, Team Leader of the supporting partners, emphasized that the distribution of equipment—ranging from clinical thermometers and surgical gloves to stainless steel canisters—is tied to a broader sustainability goal.
“We are providing cell phones to the cooperatives, especially the women, to drive financial inclusion.
“The objective is to ensure that when they bring milk to the collection centers for L&Z, we don’t need to handle cash.
“We can easily transfer their proceeds directly into their accounts.”
“So far, the program has successfully reached 32 cooperative clusters across the state.
“By providing ambulatory kits for animal healthcare and ensuring a hygienic supply chain, the partnership aims to create a template for the National LivestockTransformation Plan (NLTP).”
Industry observers believe that if the Jigawa-L&Z-Sahel model is scaled, it could significantly reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported dairy products, which currently drains billions of dollars in foreign exchange annually.
