Arla Foods Inaugurates Dairy Farm in Kaduna

Nume Ekeghe

Arla Foods, maker of Dano Milk, has inaugurated its state-of-the-art dairy farm in Kaduna as part of the company’s efforts to ensure sustainable milk production in Nigeria. The farm located in Damau village, Kubau Local Government Area, Kaduna State, was inaugurated May 25, 2023, by the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Governor El-Rufai described the newly commissioned dairy farm as 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. 

Governor El-Rufai explained that the Arla Dairy Farm would be another testament to the commitment of the Kaduna State government to collaborating with private organisations and providing the enabling environment for businesses to set up and thrive in the state. He urged the incoming Governor of the State, Senator Sani Uba, to continue to support Arla and other companies with investments in the state for economic prosperity.

The Arla Farm – a state-of the-art Danish designed dairy farm, is the first of its kind in Nigeria and with it, Arla is creating the future of dairy in Nigeria. Designed to ensure optimum animal welfare and productivity, the Farm will be a showcase for sustainable milk production in Nigeria. It covers 400 Ha 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 partnership and the vast potential available in Nigeria. He disclosed that the project was conceived in line with the quest to achieve a number of United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

“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. And when you look around at these facilities,” Stevens said.

In his remarks, Danish Ambassador to Nigeria, Sune Krogstrup, noted that the project would demonstrate 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.

Also speaking, the Head of Arla Foods West Africa, Mrs Anna Månsson, noted that the commissioning of the project remained a culmination of a series of events that began with the signing of a lease agreement with the Kaduna State Government in 2021, resulting in the securing of farmland and followed by construction work. Månsson also noted that the state-of-the-art dairy farm is the first of its kind in Nigeria, poised to define the future of dairy in Nigeria.