• Gombe State signed a deal with New Zealand’s Livestock Improvement Corporation

• The partnership targets herd management, genetics, and sustainable livestock practices

• The move aligns with Nigeria’s plan to double milk production by 2030

Nigeria’s Gombe State has signed a partnership agreement with Livestock Improvement Corporation, a New Zealand company specializing in agricultural innovation and livestock genetics, as it seeks to modernize its cattle farming sector.

The memorandum of understanding was signed on February 3, according to a statement published on the state government’s website, following a two-day visit to New Zealand by a Gombe State delegation to LIC’s facilities in Hamilton.

Under the agreement, the two sides plan to introduce modern herd management systems, promote sustainable and climate-smart livestock practices, and strengthen institutional and technical capacity through training programs and knowledge exchanges.

The partnership also provides a framework for joint research initiatives, including potential collaboration with the University of Gombe. It will explore opportunities in genetics and biotechnology, notably the possible introduction, subject to regulatory approval, of high-performance New Zealand dairy and cattle genetic traits, the statement said.

New Zealand has a strong global reputation in the dairy industry. Between 2021 and 2023, the country exported an average of 20.3 million tons of dairy products a year, making it the world’s leading exporter, according to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization.

The agreement comes as Nigeria’s federal government pursues plans to double national milk production to 1.4 million tons by 2030, an objective announced in June and supported by private sector investment and international partnerships.

As part of that effort, Nigeria held its first National Livestock Development Council on November 29 in Adamawa State, bringing together state governments and dairy industry stakeholders to coordinate policies, mobilize resources, and strengthen partnerships aimed at developing the livestock sector.

Stéphanas Assocle