The Minister of State for Agriculture, Aliyu Abdullahi, said on Saturday the Federal Government would transform the dairy value chain in the livestock sector for sustainable food security in the country.
Abdullahi stated this at a news conference to mark the 2024
The minister said that the government would also improve the livelihoods of dairy farmers and other value chain actors by creating employment in the sector.
He said: “It is pertinent to note the difficulty in attaining food and nutrition security without animal-source foods which provide the irreplaceable nutrients from animal protein sources required for growth and development.
“With an estimated 2 million children in Nigeria suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM) partly due to limited consumption of animal-source food, the role of milk consumption comes handy and to the rescue if made available.
“Indeed, the recent National Food Consumption and Micronutrient Survey 2021 indicated the level of deficiency affecting women and children in which milk products play critical ameliorating roles.”
He said that the ministry in collaboration with critical stakeholders would launch a Renewed Hope Milk Industry public awareness campaign.
He added that the campaign would highlight the importance of dairy products for nutrition and health, particularly among vulnerable groups like children and pregnant women.
“We shall create ease of business for the dairy industry with support policy and regulatory frameworks that foster a conducive environment for the dairy industry’s growth, ensuring quality standards and food safety,” Abdullahi added.
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