The European Union (EU) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Nigerian dairy farmers to tackle challenges hampering milk production and improve their incomes.
The EU highlighted persistent hurdles in the sector, including water scarcity, high costs of vaccines and medicines, and limited access to quality feed. It pledged to help farmers enhance storage capacity and upgrade critical inputs such as feed and water to raise dairy productivity and income.
During a recent visit to Naturell Dairy in Kaduna, a member of EuroCham Nigeria, an EU delegation led by Inga Stefanowicz, Team Leader for Green and Digital Economy, underscored the EU’s renewed support for agricultural development in Nigeria, with a focus on the dairy sector.
Stefanowicz stated: “We’re committed to strengthening the entire dairy value chain—from production and collection to transportation and processing—to ensure greater efficiency and productivity. Agriculture holds significant potential for economic growth and job creation, but faces many challenges. We aim to support dairy farmers and processors to unlock these opportunities and improve health outcomes for Nigerians.”
She added that the EU delegation is assessing on-ground needs by engaging with farmers, processors, and other stakeholders. “Feed quality, for example, directly impacts milk output. By understanding these challenges, we can tailor our support to improve both the quantity and quality of milk produced,” she said.
The visit to Naturell Dairy provided insight into how processors are already working with local farmers. Sales Manager Christian Idakwoji noted that the company sources milk directly from local herders, offering them sustainable incomes. However, he flagged challenges in milk transport and spoilage due to a lack of cold storage infrastructure.
Local farmer Abubakar Muhammed echoed these concerns, citing water scarcity, high vaccine costs, and feed shortages as major obstacles. “We often rely on unsafe water sources for our animals, and this affects milk output. We’re hopeful that EU support will address these issues,” he said.
Stephen Joshua, a milk aggregator with Naturell Dairy, expressed optimism about the EU’s involvement. “Most farmers here have around 40 cows, but yields are low—about 2 litres per cow daily. Better feed and cold storage support will go a long way in boosting productivity and reducing spoilage,” he said.
The EU’s ongoing assessment and interventions aim to unlock the full potential of Nigeria’s dairy sector, strengthen rural livelihoods, and expand local access to dairy products.
