Oyebanji Visits Ikun Dairy Farm, Flags Off Weekly Milk Supply to Pupils

...as Ekiti plans to scale up school milk initiative statewide

The Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, on Monday paid an official visit to the sprawling Ikun Dairy Farm located at Ikun Ekiti in Moba Local Government Area, where he applauded the remarkable transformation of the facility and reaffirmed his administration’s support for agricultural investments in the state.

The dairy farm, which is one of the largest of its kind in Nigeria, operates under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) between the Ekiti State Government and Promasidor Nigeria. 

Established to boost local milk production, the farm currently houses over 650 cattle, including imported Jersey breeds that were brought into the state in 2021 to enhance local genetics.

Speaking during the inspection, Governor Oyebanji expressed satisfaction with the level of progress achieved at the facility, particularly the average milk yield of about 25 litres per cow daily. 

He described the dairy farm as a glowing example of the state's vision for agricultural industrialization, noting that such ventures align with his administration’s Shared Prosperity agenda.

In what could be a game changer for child nutrition in Ekiti, the Governor also flagged off the “Ikun Milk Day”, a weekly supply of fresh milk to school children in Ikun Ekiti. 

According to the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Ebenezer Boluwade, plans are already underway to extend the milk distribution to schools across the state when the Federal Government resumes its school feeding programme.

“Our visit today is a reaffirmation of our commitment to supporting investments that improve food security, create jobs, and contribute to the wellbeing of our people. What we have seen here at Ikun is encouraging, and we will continue to provide the right environment for private sector growth,” Governor Oyebanji said.

The Commissioner, who accompanied the Governor on the tour, noted that the Ikun Dairy Farm has not only improved milk production capacity in Ekiti but also served as a model for sustainable livestock development in the country.