The European Union (EU) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting local dairy farmers in Nigeria to boost milk production and reduce losses by addressing key challenges affecting the quality and quantity of dairy output.
The EU identified several critical issues impacting dairy farming in Nigeria, including water scarcity, limited access to affordable vaccines and medicines, and the high cost of quality feed for livestock.
During a visit to Naturell Dairy, a Kaduna-based member of EuroCham Nigeria, the EU delegation emphasized plans to assist farmers in improving storage capacity and enhancing production inputs—particularly feed and water supply. These interventions aim to raise the quality of dairy products, increase productivity, and ultimately improve farmers’ incomes.
Inga Stefanowicz, Team Leader for Green and Digital Economy at the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, said the visit was part of broader plans to roll out new EU agricultural support in Nigeria, with a focus on improving income generation, job creation, and the growth of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the dairy sector.
According to her, the EU delegation sought to observe firsthand the successes and challenges within Nigeria’s dairy farming and processing ecosystem.
“Our goal is to strengthen the entire value chain—from milk production and collection to transportation, processing, and storage—to achieve greater efficiency and productivity,” she said.
“We are a donor organisation, providing funding for numerous initiatives in Nigeria. We recognise the vast potential of agriculture to drive economic growth and create jobs, but also acknowledge the sector’s many challenges.
“That’s why we’re here—to support dairy producers and other stakeholders along the dairy value chain, with the ultimate goal of increasing income, creating new opportunities, and improving public health.”
Stefanowicz further stressed the need for a data-driven approach to tailor EU support effectively: “We’re meeting with farmers, companies, and stakeholders to better understand what is needed. For instance, feed quality directly affects milk output, so it is crucial to address such factors.”
She added that improving milk supply to processors like Naturell Dairy would not only increase production but also promote local access to dairy products, stimulate business expansion, and generate new income opportunities for rural communities.
Christian Idakwoji, Sales Manager at Naturell Dairy, highlighted the company’s role in directly sourcing milk from local farmers while providing training and livelihood support.
“We collect milk organically from farmers’ home-grown cows, giving them a sustainable source of income,” he said. “However, we face major challenges transporting milk without spoilage due to the lack of cold storage infrastructure, such as cooling vans and vehicles.”
Idakwoji noted that while Naturell Dairy has set up roadside cooling points and initiated training programs for farmers in milk handling, more support is needed—particularly in training aggregators and improving logistics—to reduce spoilage and enhance operational efficiency.
Abubakar Muhammed, a local dairy farmer, welcomed the EU’s intervention, citing persistent challenges including water scarcity, expensive veterinary services, and inadequate feed.
“We often fetch water from unhygienic streams. Access to clean water, quality feed, and affordable medicine is critical to improving our cows’ health and productivity—and by extension, our income,” he said.
Stephen Joshua, an aggregator working with Naturell Dairy, also praised the EU’s involvement.
“Most farmers in our community own about 40 cows each, but daily milk yields are low—averaging just two litres per cow—mainly due to poor-quality feed. With EU support, we’re optimistic about reducing spoilage and significantly increasing productivity.”
