FG’s milk processing plant to supply 30,000 litres per day-Nanono

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Muhammad Sabo Nanono has said that the Federal Government has set up 5 milk processing factories across the country that will supply at least 30 thousand litres of milk per day.

Nanono stated this when he received a delegation of Nigeria Women Agro-Allied Farmers Association (NIWAAFA) led by Mrs. Lizzy Igbine, over the weekend in Abuja.

Just In: Guinea Seeks Nigeria’s Support in Rice Production

In a statement signed on sunday by the Senior Information Officer, Okeh Juliet, the minister said that more of the milk processing plant will be established, adding that the milk plants are targeting Fulani women hawking milk to supply at least 30 thousand litres of milk per day.

Nanono also advocated for more women participation in agricultural food value chain to ensure sustainability and food security in the country.

He acknowledged the fact that in recent times women are the leading participants in agro-processing, milling of groundnut, processing cassava into flour and chipsin order to meet their needs and also improve the economy of the country.

Nanono further stressed the need for NIWAAFA ‘’to diversify and be more inclusive to integrate more women both in the rural and urban areas, cutting across states of the federation into their Association. Hecited the examples of the Fulani women selling milk and also other woman traders, trading in agricultural commodities, adding that the Association should get more vocal people,so that they will politically, economically and socially be recognized in the country’’.

The Minister said he was aware of the challenges facing women farmers in Nigeria, such as the inability to stand on their own and get financing for what they do. He therefore promised to link them up with some donor agencies that are gender sensitive in order to assist them to access loans  to enable them  acquire other farming tools.

In her presentation, the leader of Nigerian Women Agro-Allied Farmer Association (NIWAAFA), Mrs. Lizzy Igbine requested for partnership and support for the Associations immediate demands which includes; establishment of a modern farmers market in FCT precisely in Gworza market, and a women farmers training centers across the federation.