Jigawa State lauds association for citing modern milk collection centre 

Riniyal community in Ringim local government area of Jigawa state, has commended Commercial Diary Ranchers Association of Nigeria (CODARAN), for setting-up a modern milk collection centre in the area.

The leader of Fulani settlement, Ardo Muhammad Tukur gave the commendation in a remark at the launch of Milk Aggregation and Logistics Development Project (MALDEP), on Friday at Riniyal.

He described the project as a remarkable scheme that would not only aid the people but would also change the community to be a better society in variety of ways.

Tukur also appealed to the association, government and other stakeholders to introduce an innovation that would boost generation of more milk from their livestock.

“If researchers can device a means of introducing an improved grass seeds which can boost milk production, we will be happy to receive it.

“I also want to use this medium to appeal for more nomadic schools in this community, this is with a view to accommodating the increasing number of children,” he pleaded.

In an opening remarks, the Executive Director, CODARAN, Mr Dianabasi Akpanyang, said the project was geared towards empowering the locals.

He assured that the association planned to conduct a training for the animal farmers on the best practices in milk production.

Akpanyang said: “The association will teach the locals how operate the equipment to milk their cattle and at the same time preserve the milk.

“The training will cut across all aspects of dairy production, starting with feed production and hygiene practices in milk collection and storage.

“The association will buy the milk from the small holder dairy farmers at market prices and process it through collaboration with other companies.”

The ED appealed to the community, to own and protect the equipment to be delivered for the project to avoid vandalism.

Mrs A’isha Muhammed, Coordinator Strategic Partnership Department at L and Z Integrated Farms, advised women to take full advantage of the initiative and generate income to improve their livelihood.

She explained that the initiative would reduce the burden of hawking and wastage of the unsold fresh milk, while lamenting a situation where women go to sell and bring back unsold.

Muhammed stated that the collaborating partners had also created milk collection centres in other communities in Birnin Kudu and Gwaram areas and would expand to other areas in Jigawa state.

Chairman of Ringim local government, Mr Badamasi Garba-Dabi, urged the community to support the association to benefit from its various door-to-door trainings.

While describing the project as a positive development to the area, the chairman observed that it would go a long way in empowering the nomadic communities around the domain.

CODARAN is a nationwide apex body and collective voice for championing the interest of indigenous commercial dairy processors, ranch operators, and small, medium, and large-scale dairy farmers in Nigeria.

NAN / Foluke Ibitomi