North West: Pastoralist receive training on artificial insemination, hygienic milking practices

No fewer than 2,500 pastoralist across 100 cooperatives around Zaria in Kaduna State, and Kano and Katsina states, were sensitised on artificial insemination and hygienic milking practices.

Alhaji Sanusi Abubakar, Chief Executive Officer of SAJ Food Limited, who made this known during an interactive session with newsmen on Wednesday, in Zaria, said the initiative was to enhance dairy production in the country.

Abubakar explained that it was also aimed at reducing pastoralists’ migration, believed to be the bane of farmers and herders clash.

He said the Backward Integration Policy of the Federal Government, adopted by the company, informed its decision to collaborate with the National Animal Production and Research Institute (NAPRI), and other key stakeholders.

According to him, under the programme, more than 100 cooperative societies are registered with a minimum of at least 25 members, who are mostly pastoralists.

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He said they were sensitised on the importance of the policy, and were subsequently organised into clusters to improve the local cow breed, in order to enhance and strengthen dairy production.

The entrepreneur said that the programme had received further support from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation through its Aldine Project and World Banks’ Agro Processing Productivity Enhancement Livelihood Improvement Support (APPEALS).

According to him, the two partners are supporting the clusters and cooperatives with feeds, drugs and water for the cows, and had also created 100 hectares of land pasture for feeding the cows.

Abubakar said while leveraging on the policy, the company shifted from using imported powder milk to locally sourced fresh milk from the Fulani cows and other farmers, for yoghurt and other dairy production.

Her noted that the collaboration had created an enabling environment and market for the products, with a view to stemming the social vices associated with traditional hawking of milk by Fulani ladies.

According to him the traditional method of rearing cows is being abused, and the practice has become one of the major hindrances to proper upbringing of the girl-child, who has been turned into a milk vendor.

“The company was aggregating about 11,000 litres of milk from them on a daily basis prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As part of the company’s corporate social responsibility, the Fulani were also encouraged to go back to school, and many children were enroled around Zaria.

“The company has also constructed four solar powered boreholes, in collaboration with the Aldine Project of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, to ensure adequate water supply to the clusters,” Abubakar added.

North West: Pastoralist receive training on artificial insemination, hygienic milking practices