The United States has supported the Nigeria Dairy Industry with the first shipment of pregnant Jersey breed dairy cows which have arrived the Ikun Dairy Farm in Ekiti State.

The Ikun Dairy Farm – a joint venture between Promasidor Nigeria Limited and Ekiti State Government – plans to produce 10,000 litres of milk daily, according to a statement issued by the US Consulate on Thursday.

It is also expected to take delivery of two additional shipments of dairy cows from the United States over the next couple of weeks.

Counsellor for Agricultural Affairs at the U.S. Mission to Nigeria, Gerald Smith, said that the introduction of U.S. dairy cows would boost local milk production and contribute significantly to ensuring sustainable food security in Nigeria.

Smith explained that the successful cattle shipment was a result of the strong partnership between the Foreign Agricultural Service of the U.S. Mission in Nigeria, the Ikun Dairy Farm, and senior officials of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, with support from the Central Bank of Nigeria.

To further support the Nigerian dairy industry, Smith noted that the Foreign Agricultural Service of the U.S. Mission was designing a two-week long training programme in the United States for diverse Nigerian dairy stakeholders.