Arla Foods, maker of Dano Milk, says it has inaugurated a state-of-the-art dairy farm in Kaduna State as part of the company’s efforts to ensure sustainable milk production in Nigeria.
According to a statement, the farm, located in Damau village, Kubau Local Government Area, Kaduna State, was inaugurated on Thursday, May 25, 2023, by the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai.
The statement quoted El-Rufai as saying that the newly commissioned dairy farm was a significant milestone and game-changer for the dairy sector in Nigeria. He commended the management of Arla Foods for having faith and confidence in Nigeria and the Kaduna State Government.
According to the statement, the Arla Farm – a Danish-designed dairy farm – is the first of its kind in Nigeria. It is designed to ensure optimum animal welfare and productivity, the Farm will be a showcase for sustainable milk production in Nigeria.
It covers 400 hectares of land, with the capacity to house 400 milking cows and 1000 animals in total. Currently, the farm is home to 216 Danish Holstein cows, which arrived in May 2023 and are settling well into their new environment.
In his welcome address, the Executive Vice President of Arla Foods International, Simon Stevens, described the completion of the farm as a massive achievement for Arla Foods in its journey in Nigeria and globally, noting that this success exemplifies the significance of solid partnerships and the vast potential available in Nigeria.
He said that the project was conceived in line with the quest to achieve a number of United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, including 2, 8, 12 and 17.
He said, “This milestone symbolises what can be achieved with strong partnerships. We can see how the contribution of the Kaduna State Government, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, NGOs, the farming community, and many more have helped to deliver a big project. I’m happy that many of my colleagues are celebrating this joyous occasion in Lagos and at the global headquarters in Denmark.”
In his remarks, Danish Ambassador to Nigeria, Sune Krogstrup, noted that the project demonstrates Arla Foods’ commitment to boosting the local dairy segment of the agricultural value chain that would positively impact the economy of Kaduna State and contribute significantly to Nigeria’s GDP.