The Federal Government says implementation of the National Dairy Policy would reduce livestock products importation and stimulate exports to enhance national income generation.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Ernest Umakhihe, made the disclosure on Tuesday, at the opening of the National Diary Policy Validation workshop, in Abuja.
The workshop was organised by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.
It was aimed at aggregating the inputs of relevant stakeholders to enrich the National Diary Policy for Nigeria.
Umakhihe described the National Dairy Policy as apt and articulate, in accordance with the vision of the Federal Government for the dairy industry.
”This meeting cannot come at a better time than now because a National Policy for dairy and dairy products in Nigeria is long overdue.
”There has been a continuous drive towards meeting national sufficiency in dairy production to reduce the huge amount spent on importation of dairy products in order to bridge the huge gap between supply and demand.
”Successive administrations made efforts to close the gap through programmes such as Dairy Development Programme, National Livestock Breed Improvement Programme, among others thus creating opportunity for private sector participation.
”The draft policy will support the implementation of the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Plan and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
”It will give defined direction for the country’s dairy industry where all players at whatever scale will be expected to abide by rules of operation in terms of production, processing and marketing of dairy products in Nigeria.
”I am glad that we are gradually approaching the stage of finalising the draft document by this validation workshop.
”The effort at putting in place a National Dairy Policy for the country is apt for the realisation of the vision of the Federal Government articulated through the change approach and a standard practice to be applied at every level of society, public and private, towards a pragmatic national development.
”This approach is to significantly reduce importation of livestock and livestock products and at the same time stimulate exports to enhance national income generation.”
In his goodwill message, Prof. Hussaini Ibrahim, the Director- General, Raw Material Research Development Council, noted that a national dairy policy was a fundamental base needed to drive viable dairy industry.
Ibrahim, who was represented by Dr Mary Abiareye, expressed the readiness of the Agency to partner for the upgrading of the Nigeria Local Dairy Sector.
(NAN).
