The Kwara State governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, yesterday flagged off the construction of K-Wara Dairy Farm in Malete, Moro Local Government Area, to promote the dairy value chain and transform the livestock sector.
LEADERSHIP reports that K-Wara Dairy Farm, otherwise known as Dairy Value Chain Transformation Centre, is owned by the Kwara State Government and will be managed by K-WARA Dairy Company Ltd.
Awarded to Messrs Skytegrity Services Ltd, the construction work is expected to cover five solar-powered milk collection centres, a 50,000-litre-per-day solar-powered milk processing facility, feed development, and a cold-chain logistics
fleet that will be deployed to provide seamless connectivity from farm to factory and ultimately to the market.
The governor said the initiative is a reflection of collective efforts to foster livestock production, strengthen food and nutrition security and generate employment opportunities for the people of the state.
“This is a landmark initiative that represents a significant step towards transforming and harnessing the potential in the livestock sector and dairy value chain in particular,” the governor said.
The groundbreaking ceremony in Malete attracted top government officials, captains of industry, livestock farmers, and an array of herders.
Among the top participants were the Deputy Governor, Mr. Kayode Alabi; the Speaker, Kwara House of Assembly, and the APC governorship candidate, Engr. Yakubu Danladi-Salihu; Hon. Mukhtar Shagaya; state APC chairman, Prince Sunday Fagbemi; and chairman, KAM Holdings, Alh. Kamoru Yusuf.
“The deliberate investment in the livestock sector through the Livestock Productivity and Resilient Project (L-PRES), Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ), artificial insemination of cattle for improved cattle breeds, and establishment of this Dairy Value Chain Transformation Centre is therefore a strategic intervention to make Kwara State a hub for milk production in the country.
“After due process, the contract was awarded to Messrs Skytegrity Services Ltd at a contract value of Eleven Billion, Four Hundred and Three Million, Ninety-One Thousand, Seven Hundred and Fifty-Seven Naira, Eighteen Kobo (N11,403,091,757.18), with a completion period of twelve months,” AbdulRazaq said.
The governor encouraged youths and women to take advantage of these opportunities by actively participating in dairy farming, processing, marketing, and other related enterprises.
He sought the support of relevant stakeholders, including the host community, traditional institutions, dairy farmers and private investors, to ensure that the centre achieves its objectives.
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AbdulRazaq also urged the handling contractor to maintain the highest standards of quality, professionalism, and integrity, and to ensure timely completion in accordance with the design specifications.
For his part, Engr. Yakubu Danladi-Salihu applauded the AbdulRazaq administration’s initiative to modernise dairy production, with a view to enhancing the handling, processing, and preservation of milk products.
“This initiative will create employment and business opportunities for youths, women, entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders across the dairy value chain not only in Kwara State but across the northern region,” he said, while speaking in an interview with newsmen.
The commissioner for Livestock Development, Hon. Olohuntoyosi Thomas, said K-Wara Dairy is not a one-farm story but rather a chain of opportunities for new skills, jobs and businesses.
She explained that the initiative will significantly reduce the hundreds of millions of dollars the country is spending on the importation of milk and dairy products.
“We are building a milk processing factory that will need 50,000 litres of milk daily; that means on a daily basis, through this project, a minimum of forty million naira (₦1.2 billion monthly and ₦14.4 billion annually) will go into the hands of Kwarans, existing dairy farmers and unemployed youths,” she said.
Speaking on behalf of the Kwara State Ranchers Association, Kayode Akintola described the project as an extension of the laudable works of government in the state, particularly for livestock development.
He pledged ranchers’ support for the initiative and sought a sustainable partnership with the government to achieve the set objectives in the livestock sector.
Akintola commended the choice of Hon. Thomas as Livestock Commissioner in the state, saying she has been goal-driven and passionate about the well-being of farmers and herders.
The chairman of the Fulani Pastoralist Community (Jowuro), Kwara State branch, Alhaji Tijani, said the project is unique and will go a long way in assisting them, and commended the governor for prioritising their welfare.
He said all the Fulanis in the state have resolved to reciprocate the kind gesture with massive support during the 2027 elections.
