*NVMA seeks collaboration with Rico Gado
In support of the diversification of the Nigerian economy, Rico Gado Nutrition, the animal feeds company founded by the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, is to establish another plant in the North-west geopolitical zone of the country.
The former vice president made the disclosure in Abuja when he received the national executive committee of the Nigeria Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA.
Rico Gado Nutrition in 2015 inaugurated its plant in Yola, Adamawa State and in May of this year broke grounds for its Abuja plant located in Idu Industrial Area of the federal capital territory. That plant will produce more than twice the capacity of the Yola plant.
Atiku told the delegation of NVMA that the report of a feasibility he caused to be conducted in 2013 concluded that 95 per cent of the livestock in Nigeria are in the northern part of the country.
The former vice-president said following that report, he took a strategic decision to build animal feeds plant in each of the three geopolitical zones of the northern part of the country.
He said that the first located in Adamawa, his home state, is to service the North-east zone while the ground breaking of the second in Idu Industrial Area will cater to the needs of the North-central and that the third will follow suit and be domiciled in the North-west region.
The Turaki Adamawa said that he is committed to delivering on the projects with his Portuguese partners because the Yola plant has been a runaway success, as it is becoming increasingly challenging to meet demand of customers for animal feeds.
The President of NVMA,
Dr Edgar Amos, said investments in critical agriculture sector such as Rico Gado’s has the potential of transforming livestock production and stem the incessant herdsmen-farmers’ clashes.
Amos said his association is “excited” by the establishment of the animal feeds production plants.
“Investments (such as Rico Gado’s) where livestock feeds and production can be addressed through providing nutrients that lead nomads to move from place to place, not only will it revolutionise livestock production, it will create jobs, expand the scope of the value chain and reduce these clashes and the whole country will be the better for it.”
Amos expressed the commitment of NMVA to collaborate with Rico Gado Nutrition for the benefit of all stakeholders in the livestock sub sector of the agriculture sector and the Nigerian economy in the quest by the President Muhammadu Buhari
administration to diversify the economy.
