Success Stories

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. 

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 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. …

Dr. George Uzoaga, Director of Veterinary Public Health & Epidemiology at the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development in Abuja, Nigeria, is a 2022 Cochran fellow and was able to see firsthand the highly advanced operations of the U.S. livestock industry, with a special emphasis on dairy and beef production and most importantly on operationalization of embryo transfer and genomic selection for best outcomes in animal breeding programs. …

His efforts along with those of other colleagues culminated in the creation of a new Nigerian Federal Ministry of Livestock Development in July 2024 and the appointment of a Minister who is a renowned dairy farmer in Kaduna State. …

Dr. Uzoaga has actively participated in the development of a livestock growth strategy to increase investment in the sector from the present $32 billion to $74 billion in the next 5 to 7 years. …