One of the conversations on the front burner in Nigeria is the demand for energy, both in households and industrial areas.
The demand for energy is so crucial that both urban and rural areas have resorted to alternative energy as a result of inadequate power supply, consistent grid collapses and high cost of energy
In a recent report released by the World Bank, about 47 per cent of Nigerians do not have access to grid electricity and those who have access, face regular power cuts. In addition, the economic cost of power shortages in Nigeria is estimated at around $28 billion.
Subsequently, businesses and households are beginning to sort different ways of powering their household equipment and daily operations.
One of these innovations in renewable energy is championed by Sebore Farms in Adamawa State, in the North-east, an area facing significant power challenges.
The farm currently relies heavily on renewable energy to produce yoghurt, cheese, and other dairy products, processing over 8,000 liters daily.
Speaking on the initiative, Aminu Nyako, the managing director and chief executive officer of Sebore farms, said the decision to harness renewable energy potential in the North-east was deliberate with consistent efforts to ensure that it came to fruition.
His words: “We have made it a point of call to focus on the dairy value chain. We have built and commissioned the largest fresh dairy processing factory in Nigeria. We have been reintegrating local pastorals farmers into the formalised dairy value chain. We have 18,000 farmers within our system of collection of fresh milk.”
“Through our extensive use of solar panels as a means of energy in the production of yoghurt, cheese and other dairy production, the sustainable approach not only powers the farm’s operations, but also sets a benchmark for other farms and industries in Nigeria”.
Speaking further, Mr Nyako said, “It’s important to note that milk is the most perishable product in the market in Nigeria and probably globally, for you to be able to create value in milk, you need 24 hours electricity because it needs to be cool to 4 degrees Celsius and maintain that level for it not to go bad.
“For you to have that kind of stable electricity, we know that the Nigerian grid cannot provide that and we know fossil fuel cannot do that as well, so we looked into renewable sources of energy and Adamawa State in the North-east part of the country is blessed with solar. We then invested in battery system that can give us light in the night.
“This has been able to guarantee us energy efficiency and reliable energy across our systems.”
The MD/CEO further stated that the impact of Sebore Farms’ renewable energy initiative is far-reaching, extending well beyond its immediate operations by creating job opportunities and has also significantly improved living standards in surrounding communities.
Beyond dairy production
Asides the innovation to operate business with renewable energy, the farm is empowering villagers in the community.
Ya’u Adamu, who gathers milk from various communities, is now a proud operator at the milk collection center.
He said the initiative has been life-changing for him, offering an opportunity to improve his living standard and that of his family.
Ya’u Adamu—“Our lives have changed, unlike in the past, thanks to the opportunity provided to us by Sebore Farms. Indeed this initiative has changed our lives for the better. Before now, our women used to go out and sell milk locally, competing and rushing to make sales so that it does not go bad and lead to a loss, but now the story has changed.
“Sebore Farms conducted research and brought an end to our struggles. We now make sales as early as 6:00 a.m. easily, transporting the milk from the cows to the collection center, making business much smoother. This has helped us financially.
“We can now provide our children with both religious and basic education. With weekly payments from selling milk, we can now cater to our children’s needs and provide them with discipline through the teachers we hired from the town”.
He said the community has been empowered to supply milk to the Sebore Farms factory, fostering a sense of collaboration.
Also, Sa’adu Adamu, a milk vendor said the farm is a blessing to the entire country as it has reduced the stress of traveling far to source for cattle feed, which is now being provided by the farm.
He said, “we used to travel far into the bush to rear our cattle, but since the introduction of this initiative, we no longer have to go far. We rear cattle around our homes and get abundant milk. They also provide us with animal feed that boosts milk production. We sell the milk and earn money that makes us financially stable and we have animal feed available for us. We are very happy that neighboring herders are now looking up to us. Also, most of us have access to solar-powered clean water.
“Moreover, this transformative initiative has provided a sustainable livelihood for women and and offering herders a long-term vision and future to hold on to. The empowerment of these communities is a testament to the positive ripple effects of Sebore Farms’ efforts”.
In the same vein, Hauwau Musa, another milk vendor explained that, “We usually sell our milk in bowls before now in Mayo Belwa and sometimes we got beaten by rain, but now the story has changed. We make profit from the business. We thank Sebore Farms for this initiative. We are happy staying in one place and getting paid. At least I make N20,000 monthly from supplying milk”.
Experts speak
Amara Nwankpa, a climate change expert at Yar’adua Center, believes that Nigeria needs to do more in generating electricity, rather than depending heavily on fossil fuels for power.
According to him, “There’s the challenge with extracting fossil fuel. The fact is that during that extraction process there’s a very huge risk of spillage which poisons the water and affects the ability of communities to grow food.
“The use of fossil fuel for energy creates carbon emission which is the main source of anthropogenic climate change and this is a global emergency at the moment because we find the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, resulting in higher global temperature and that is driving us toward a dangerous limit”.
Nwakpa added that Sebore Farms is a shining example of what can be achieved with the right investment and commitment to renewable energy, adding that the farm’s success is a testament to the potentials for sustainable energy solutions in Nigeria and beyond.
Similarly, Felicia Dairo, Project Manager CJID, noted that one for the challenges facing the power sector is the inability to implement existing policies.
“In 2005, the federal government through the energy commission of Nigeria, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme came up with the renewable energy master plan which contains the short term, medium term and long term goals and the policy was reviewed in 2011.
“The policy had a plan to help manufacturers and citizens in the renewable energy sector, but currently, we don’t even know where we are in terms of the renewable energy master plan as a country. We have favourable policies, however, implementing is the major challenge that we have,” she said.
Conclusively, as the world continues to search for sustainable energy solutions, Sebore Farms stands as a beacon of hope and innovation, proving that with determination and the right resources, success can be achieved.
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