From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The European Union (EU) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting local dairy farmers in Nigeria by addressing key challenges that affect the quality and quantity of milk production, including water scarcity, the affordability of vaccines and medicines, and access to quality feed for cows.
The EU emphasised its plans to assist farmers in enhancing storage capacity and improving critical production inputs such as feed and water, aiming to boost dairy product quality, increase productivity, and raise farmers’ incomes.
During a recent visit to Naturell Dairy, a Kaduna-based member of EuroCham Nigeria, an EU delegation witnessed first-hand the successes and challenges of dairy farming and processing in Nigeria.
Inga Stefanowicz, Team Leader for Green and Digital Economy at the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, explained that the visit, conducted on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, was part of efforts to roll out new EU agricultural support in Nigeria, targeting the dairy sector to enhance incomes, create jobs, and foster Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprise (MSME) growth.
She said the goal is to improve the entire dairy value chain—from milk production and collection to transportation, processing, and storage—to ensure greater efficiency and productivity.
Speaking to plant employees and farmers, Stefanowicz said: “We are a donor organisation, providing funding for many initiatives in Nigeria. We recognise the importance and potential of agriculture in creating economic growth and jobs, but we also acknowledge the many challenges it faces. That’s why we want to support dairy producers, farmers who rear milk cows, and others in the dairy value chain to benefit everyone, increasing incomes, opportunities, and the health of the population.”
Stefanowicz added: “We’re here to assess what’s needed to help farmers raise both the quantity and quality of their milk production. We’re meeting with farmers, companies, and stakeholders in the value chain to better understand how to tailor our support. For example, feed quality directly impacts milk output, so it’s vital to address these concerns.”
She noted that an increased milk supply to processors like Naturell Dairy would boost production, expand local access to dairy products, promote business growth, and create new income streams for rural communities.
Christian Idakwoji, Sales Manager at Naturell Dairy, highlighted the company’s role in sourcing milk directly from local farmers and supporting them through training and livelihood opportunities. “We collect milk organically from farmers’ home-grown cows, providing them with a sustainable income. However, we face challenges in transporting milk without spoilage due to a lack of cold storage infrastructure, such as cooling vans and vehicles,” he said.
He added that Naturell Dairy has established roadside cooling points and initiated training for farmers in proper milk handling, but further support is needed for aggregator training and logistics to reduce spoilage and enhance efficiency.
Local dairy farmer Abubakar Muhammed expressed hope in the EU’s intervention, citing water scarcity, high vaccine costs, and inadequate feed as major hurdles. “We often fetch water from unhygienic streams. We urgently need access to clean water, quality feed, and affordable medication to improve our cows’ health, productivity, and our overall income,” he said.
Stephen Joshua, an aggregator with Naturell Dairy, welcomed the EU’s involvement. “We’re pleased that the EU is stepping in to support dairy farmers. Most farmers here own about 40 cows each, but milk yields vary based on feed quality. On average, each cow produces only two litres daily. With EU support, we expect to see a reduction in milk spoilage and a significant boost in productivity,” he said.