By Shuaib Sadiq
The Kaduna State Government has inaugurated a 500-litre Milk and Yogurt processing plant in Ladugga Grazing Reserve, Kachia Local Government area.
Malam Dahiru Abdullahi, the Information Officer of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Kaduna.
He said the plant was inaugurated by Dr Hadiza Balarabe, the running mate to Gov. Nasiru el-Rufai, on behalf of the Government of Kaduna State on Tuesday.
Abdullahi said the plant was established to boost growth in the Livestock Sector of the economy and create employment opportunities for youth and pastoralists.
He said the project was implemented by the State government with partnership with the UK-DFID’s Business Innovation Facility.
Ladugga is among the largest grazing reserves in the state, established more that 50 years ago to provide pasture to livestock in Kachia Local government area.
The official said the pastoralists in the reserve were supplied with Napier grass in 2015, which increased milk yield by more than 100 per cent.
“This led to the creation of milk collection centers and the 500-litre daily processing plant.
“This project which was commissioned by the running mate of the Governor has helped increased the income of pastoralists substantially and created jobs for women and youths,“ Abdullahi said.
According to him, the benefit of the project is making herders embrace homestead cattle rearing, thereby eliminating the clashes between farmers and herders in the state.
“The initiative has helped the pastoralists shift from the old practice of moving around which had often resulted into clashes with farmers.
“It would also serve as a model for local and foreign investments into the livestock sector, thereby boosting the pastoralist economy, and benefit the government through tax and levies,“ Abdullahi said. (NAN)
