FrieslandCampina WAMCO has signed a partnership agreement in Nigeria with the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC).

The aim of the collaboration is to sustainably transform the dairy sector in the country and develop key infrastructures required for a sustainable value chain.

The partnership, which will run until the end of 2023, was signed by IFDC CEO Albin Hubscher and Ben Langat, managing director of FrieslandCampina WAMCO (FCW) Nigeria.

“As industry leader, FrieslandCampina WAMCO has established best practice models for local milk sourcing to thrive,” said Ben Langat. “By signing this second phase agreement with IFDC for the 2Scale project, we are demonstrating the need for partnerships in contributing to food security.”

IFDC is collaborating with 2Scale, an Africa-focused business incubator, to deepen the inclusive model for local sourcing of fresh milk in Nigeria in line with FCW’s Dairy Development Programme.

Albin Hubscher said: “IFDC’s work starts with healthy soils, creates healthy markets, and ends with healthy people. We encourage dairy and crop farmers to coexist and to produce top-quality silage which will increase milk production. In order to be successful, soil health and improved soil fertility combined with adequate agricultural practices is essential.

“Finally, 2Scale wants to support FrieslandCampina WAMCO in its pursuit to offer consumers the safest and most nutritious product they can.”

As part of its Dairy Development Programme, FrieslandCampina last year announced a €23 million investment in an evaporated milk and ready-to-drink milk factory in Nigeria.

The Dairy Development Programme is FrieslandCampina’s initiative for sharing knowledge and training with farmers in a way that improves farming infrastructure.

Its main activities take place in Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia. China, Russia, Romania, Nigeria and Pakistan. Areas of focus include improving the quality of milk, increasing productivity per cow, and securing access to market.

Since the start of the programme in the 1980s, the Dutch dairy cooperative estimates that it has directly or indirectly reached more than a quarter of a million dairy farmers.