Isiyaku Ahmed
The Planned construction of 200 Milk Collect Centers in Kano State by the Kano State Agro-Pastoral Development Project, KSADP, is aimed at strengthening the dairy sector and improving the lives and livelihoods of pastoralists, particularly women.
A statement, Friday, by the Project Communication Specialist, Ameen K. Yassar said the State Project Coordinator, Malam Ibrahim Garba Muhammad stated this during the opening of a multi-stakeholder meeting on the milk collection centers, in Kano city, highlighting that the project is funded by the Islamic Development Bank and the Lives and Livelihood Fund, LLF.
“This is a significant step in milk value chain development that will empower our herdsmen, especially women, through ensuring milk quality, hygiene and profitability.
“With this development, which will also create linkages with major up takers, women, the key players in milk collection and marketing will no longer risk their lives by traveling for several kilometers to large towns, to sell their milk at cheap prices, because the quality is compromised due to deficiencies in the collection, storage, and transportation.”
He said with improved milk collection, storage, and marketing initiatives, the pastoralists and the government would generate better income and help in curtailing the Federal government’s spending on milk and milk products import.
Malam Ibrahim explained that out of the 200 milk collection centers to be constructed by the KSADP, 40 will be built and equipped across 15 local government areas of the state, this year.
The Project Coordinator added that the MCCs will be located in areas that are accessible and safe for the pastoralists, while the local milk cooperative societies will be trained for sustainable management of the centers.
Giving technical details, the consulting firm engaged for the project, Teamwork Global Associates, represented by the duo of Professor Peter Barje and Engr. Danladi Ebbah, highlighted that explained that each MCC will be built on a full plot consisting of the latest quality assurance kits, cooling facilities, water tank, solar energy facility, feed store, vet medicine store, and office among other things.
The training would be given to the milk cooperative societies in each area on milk handling and financial management for sustainability.
According to the statement, Hajiya Aisha Muhammad Abubakar, the National Women Leader, MACBAN, requested that women should play a key role in managing the MCCs because of the roles they play in the dairy value chain from milking to marketing.
Other stakeholders who made presentations or raised issues during the meeting including traditional leaders, pastoralists associations, milk marketers, and government officials dwelt on land acquisition matters, sustainability, and management of the MCCs, among other things.
