— Programme vaccinates nearly 84,000 cattle, facilitates 15m litres of milk worth over ₦6bn
More than 61,000 smallholder dairy farmers have been trained in improved dairy production practices, while nearly 84,000 cattle were vaccinated and treated under a six-year intervention programme aimed at boosting Nigeria’s local milk production.
The Advancing Local Dairy Development in Nigeria (ALDDN) programme also facilitated the supply of more than 15 million litres of fresh milk to dairy processors, generating over ₦6 billion in sales, as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s dairy value chain.
The achievements were disclosed at the formal closeout ceremony of the programme held in Jos, the Plateau State capital.
Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and implemented by Sahel Consulting Agriculture & Nutrition Limited in collaboration with government agencies, dairy processors and other private-sector partners, the programme commenced in 2020 and covered Bauchi, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Adamawa, Plateau and Taraba states.
Speaking at the event, the Managing Partner of Sahel Consulting, Temi Adegoroye, said the intervention had strengthened the capacity of smallholder farmers, improved livestock health and expanded access to formal markets.
He disclosed that 61,374 farmers received training in Good Dairy Practices, while 26,207 farmers were trained on gender integration. The programme also conducted 585 radio sessions across the implementing states to promote awareness and encourage the adoption of improved dairy production methods.
According to him, the programme organised farmers into 2,663 self-help groups and established 234 cooperatives, which were registered with their respective state governments to improve farmers’ organisation, bargaining power and access to markets.
Adegoroye said the delivery of more than 15 million litres of milk to partner processors, generating over ₦6 billion in revenue, demonstrated the potential of Nigeria’s local dairy industry when smallholder farmers are properly organised and connected to reliable markets.
He added that a 2026 audit of the cooperatives showed significant improvement in their viability, with the proportion classified as moderately viable increasing from 66 per cent to 90 per cent, while non-viable cooperatives declined from 33 per cent to eight per cent.
On livestock health, Adegoroye said the programme serviced 83,963 cows, exceeding its target of 75,000, while 83,936 cattle were vaccinated against Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia, a major livestock disease.
He further disclosed that 279 Community Livestock Workers were engaged to provide support to farmers, while more than 4,705 hectares of fodder were cultivated, surpassing the programme’s target of 4,000 hectares.
To improve milk collection, preservation and transportation, he said the programme provided eight milk evacuation trucks and 7,676 stainless-steel milk cans.
It also supported the establishment of a solar-powered facility at Sebore Farms, with a processing capacity of 70,000 litres of milk daily, while 75 solar-powered boreholes were installed across 74 communities to improve access to water for livestock and farming activities.
The programme also established more than 654 hectares of pastureland in Plateau and Bauchi states, while 2,312 bank accounts were opened for farmers and actively used for milk payments and small-business transactions.
Despite the achievements, Adegoroye identified insecurity as a major challenge to the programme, noting that the location of many beneficiaries in rural communities sometimes made it difficult for field workers to reach them and deliver necessary support.
He said addressing insecurity in farming communities remained important to sustaining the gains recorded in local dairy production and ensuring that farmers continued to benefit from the formal dairy supply chain.
Some beneficiaries from Plateau State also commended the programme for improving their know.