Dajrhas Health and Agric Development Ltd, in collaboration with the TETFund Centre of Excellence in Food Security (TCoEFS), University of Jos, and the Plateau State Government, will host a high-level delegation from the United States Livestock Genetics Export Inc. (USLGE) and the Reproduction Specialty Group (RSG), U.S.A, for the evaluation of the proposed Small Ruminant Development Enhancement Project (SRDEP).
The delegation, scheduled to visit Plateau State, Nigeria, from 12th to 17th October 2025, will include Dr. Martin Sieber, President and Chief Executive Officer of USLGE, and Mr. Doug Edge, Chief Strategy Officer of RSG. The purpose of their visit is to assess the feasibility, institutional readiness, and partnership framework for the potential implementation of the SRDEP in Nigeria.
The Small Ruminant Development Enhancement Project (SRDEP) is a national collaborative initiative conceived by the USDA Cochran Fellows (2022 cohort) to strengthen Nigeria’s small ruminant production systems. The project brings together strategic partners including the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, State Ministries of Agriculture and Livestock Development (Imo, Gombe, Oyo, Plateau, and Kaduna States), the National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI), the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), the Sheep and Goat Farmers Association of Nigeria, Sahel Consulting Agriculture and Nutrition Ltd, the Commercial Dairy Ranchers Association of Nigeria (CODARAN), the TETFund Centre of Excellence in Food Security (TCoEFS), and Dajrhas Health and Agric Development Ltd.
As a key implementing partner, Dajrhas Health and Agric Development Ltd has played a pivotal role in coordinating technical engagements and designing scalable intervention frameworks aimed at improving breeding efficiency, animal health systems, feed production, and market access for smallholder farmers. The project is expected to significantly contribute to Nigeria’s food security goals and enhance rural livelihoods through improved livestock productivity and agribusiness development.
The upcoming evaluation visit will include technical sessions, stakeholder meetings, and field inspections to review existing capacities and potential pilot sites for SRDEP activities. Dajrhas will showcase its operational model, extension networks, and agritech-driven solutions aligned with the project’s objectives.
This collaborative mission was facilitated through Prof. Dauda Bawa, Director of the TETFund Centre of Excellence in Food Security, University of Jos, and USDA Cochran Fellow (2022). His engagement with U.S. agricultural development institutions under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Cochran Fellowship Program laid the foundation for this strategic partnership.