The Doguwa communities in Kano State have applauded Outspan Nigeria Limited, the dairy business unit of Olam Food Ingredients (ofi), for its expansive investment in the area, targeted at achieving large-scale development of the local dairy value chain. 

At the opening of the latest Milk Collection Centre (MCC) in Falgore, Doguwa LGA bankrolled by Outspan, representatives of the communities under the local government area said the investment would stimulate a robust local economy, create linkages for smallholder dairy farmers and generate jobs in the area. 

Mamuda Hudu, the chairman of Doguwa LGA, was delighted by the prospect of local dairy farmers and the women in the area gaining access to new markets and opportunities to sell their milk to large industrial off-takers instead of trekking to distant towns to peddle their products.

“Outspan Nigeria Limited is making an impactful investment in our communities by building a milk collection centre in Doguwa LGA. The collection centre will enhance the economic activities of our local dairy farmers and help our young people get jobs in the dairy value chain,” Hudu said

“Our women who previously trekked miles to sell their milk in distant markets can now stay home and look after their children with the assurance that the milk collection centre would help preserve and transport their raw milk to larger off-takers who are ready to pay them accordingly.”

In the same vein, Alhaji Hamza Ahmed Hamza, the traditional head, Falgore village, thanked Outspan for locating an MCC in the village. “The dairy value chain development initiative will create opportunities that would help improve the livelihoods of residents within our village,” Hamza said.

Outspan Nigeria Limited has now opened five milk collection centres in Kano. The other collection centres are located in Dawanau, Imawa, Dan-Hassan and Tasa.

Mr Manish Khede, the Regional Manager, Outspan Nigeria Limited, explained, “We will continue to support the local dairy value chain to ensure the country achieves self-sufficiency in milk production. We have a track record of working with local farmers to enhance their productivity and income levels while broadly enriching the agriculture value chain, in line with the government economic development agenda.”

Khede promised that the business will not relent in scaling its support for the smallholder dairy farmers, as the value chain investment plans are being executed in phases.

Meanwhile, Garba Aminu, a representative of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), who was also at the launch, emphasized the apex bank’s commitment to providing the necessary assistance to businesses and smallholder farmers in a bid to fast track the attainment of food production self-sufficiency in the country.

Other dignitaries at the event include Usman Abdullahi Usman, Chairman of Kano Dairy Union; Alh. Abdullahi Zakari, district head, Doguwa LGA; Abba Gana Yamani, a director at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture; Sanusi Saidu, the Councilor for Falgore ward; and Ardo Manya, the Head, Kubau LGA, Kaduna State.