Success Stories

As a fellow of the 2022 Cochran training hosted by USLGE in Madison, WI,  Oluwafisayomi Kayode had a transformative experience that provided him with valuable insights into the U.S. beef and dairy sector. He learned that without best practices in dairy management, strategic stakeholder engagement, and the enabling role of government policy, no real change could be accomplished in his home country of Nigeria.

Three years later, Kayode is proud to share how those lessons have translated into real-world impact through his leadership role as Senior Program Manager in the Advancing Local Dairy Development in Nigeria (ALDDN) program. ALDDN is a multiyear initiative funded by the Gates Foundation and implemented by Sahel Consulting in conjunction with private-sector companies as a catalytic intervention for building sustainable supply chains and fostering local sourcing.

Through his participation in USDA's Cochran Fellowship Program , Kayode was able to learn about U.S. dairy policy frameworks and confirmed that government policy is essential for sustainable dairy development. This knowledge, especially in areas related to quality standards and regulatory best practices, directly impacted his input in helping to develop and launch Nigeria’s first national dairy policy, which was officially unveiled on World Milk Day in 2024. With a strong policy framework in place, rapid growth and strengthening of the Nigerian dairy sector is now possible.

Oluwafisayomi Kayode, a USDA Cochran fellow, is transforming the Nigerian dairy industry through his leadership in the ALDDN (Advancing Local Dairy Development in Nigeria) program. …

Through his leadership role at ALDDN, a multiyear initiative funded by the Gates Foundation, Kayode is currently restructuring the capacity building strategy by training over 120 community-based champions and animal husbandry extension workers across 4 northern States. Those local champions now deliver ongoing training and support to smallholder farmers, enhancing their knowledge retention and practice adoption. …

ALDDN is partnering with commercial farms that can serve as early adopters and accelerators of change. They have partnered with some of the most important companies in the private sector such as L&Z Farms, Ltd., one of the fastest growing indigenous dairy farms in Nigeria, and Integrated Dairies, Ltd., a leading conglomerate in the industry, to establish model centers where farmers can witness improved dairy practices firsthand. ALDDN has also partnered with the URUS group, a holding company with an international presence, to train over 130 community-level AI technicians, to address a critical skill gap. …

The Dairy Ranchers Association of Nigeria (CODARAN) is the national apex body and collective voice for championing the interest of indigenous commercial dairy processors, ranch operators, and small-, medium-, and large-scale dairy farmers. At the head of this organization is Dianabasi Akpainyang, its Executive Director and a Cochran fellow from the 2022 cohort. As part of his training on U.S. beef and dairy management hosted by U.S. Livestock Genetics Export, Inc., in Madison, WI, Akpainyang developed an action plan to increase milk production and revenue generation in Nigeria. According to data from the Central Bank of Nigeria, the demand for milk production in 2024 was 1.7 billion liters (3.86 billion pounds), yet only 600 million liters (1.36 billion pounds) are produced nationally.

CODARAN’s plan is to implement the Milk Aggregation and Logistics Development Project (MALDEP) in 2025 with the training of 1,000 smallholder farmers in Niger and Jigawa States on profitable dairy business management. This training has already begun, and 2 milk collection centers equipped with milk storage and testing equipment have been established to aggregate milk from smallholder dairy farmers in Niger and Jigawa States. Along with supply of free milk collection equipment – milk cans to 200 smallholder dairy farmers in Niger and Jigawa States – to facilitate hygienic milk handling and reduce milk rejection rates at the milk collection center, this plan seeks to help significantly reduce the country’s dependence on US$ 1.5 billion in milk imports and channel those funds into the development of the dairy industry in Nigeria.

Dr. Okwu Audu James is a USDA Cochran fellow from the 2022 Nigerian cohort hosted by USLGE in Madison, WI. As the Animal Health Intervention Lead for the Advancing Local Dairy Development in Nigeria (ALDDN) Program — an initiative funded by the Gates foundation— he has leveraged the knowledge gained from his USDA Cochran Fellowship to train over 60,000 smallholder dairy farmers across 5 northern Nigerian States. ...

Recognizing Nigeria’s shortage of veterinary professionals, Dr. Audu has worked on establishing a sustainable model for animal healthcare, training and equipping 132 community-based animal health workers (CAHWs) across the 5 States.  ...

Through this program, he has coordinated a team of 50 dairy technical experts, including veterinarians and animal scientists, to deliver critical services to farmers. These interventions span impressive accomplishments such as:

• Treatment and vaccination of over 82,000 cattle, significantly improving herd health and productivity.
• Training farmers on dairy livestock management, good milking practices, and herd health management, building on their current capacities.
• Educating farmers on antibiotic misuse, biosecurity (isolation/quarantine), and sustainable husbandry practices.

This initiative has not only enhanced milk production and farmer livelihoods but also strengthened the resilience of Nigeria’s dairy sector. By bridging gaps in veterinary care and empowering local stakeholders, this program is paving the way for long-term agricultural growth.

The Cochran Fellowship Program (CFP), a cornerstone of USDA’s global agricultural initiatives, is instrumental in advancing livestock genetics and reproductive technologies worldwide. …

During a USDA Foreign Agricultural Service Agribusiness Trade Mission in Morocco, USLGE engaged with 5 former Cochran fellows from Morocco’s dairy industry. Those individuals, who increased their knowledge through Cochran training in the United States, offered invaluable insight into Morocco’s agricultural dynamics, including policy changes, resource constraints, and production levels.…

Because genetic improvement is a long-term endeavor, the enduring partnerships formed with Cochran fellows ensure that efforts to improve livestock genetics and production systems are not only effective but also sustainable. 

The Nigerian dairy sector still faces multiple challenges that hamper productivity across the value chain, resulting in an inadequate supply of dairy products in the market from the local industry. …

To address those challenges and create a path forward for the dairy industry, Mr. Dianabasi Akpainyang, the Executive Director of CODARAN (the Commercial Dairy Ranchers Association of Nigeria), … is designing and implementing the Dairy Skill Development in Nigeria Programme (CODUNDSKILL) in collaboration with the University of Abuja. This ongoing program, which started in October 2024, seeks to train at least 50 dairy industry operators per quarter on dairy business management through a series of quarterly dairy development webinars. …

These webinars focus on training and developing skilled manpower in the various segments of the dairy value chain using the expertise of the Centre for Dairy Studies of the University of Abuja, Nigeria. …