The Federal Government announced that it needs to revisit and remodel the ranching programme after recent clashes between farmers and herders in Abia, Delta and Kwara States
This was disclosed in a memo by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, signed by a Director in the SGF office, Mr David Atta on Tuesday.
The memo also urged ministers to take necessary actions to ensure a peaceful co-existence between farmers and herders across the country.
What they said
The memo titled, ‘Heightened misunderstanding between farmers and herders in Abia, Delta and Kwara States’, was also addressed to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The SGF disclosed that the invasion of farmlands by migrant herders continued to pose a threat to food security and affected peaceful coexistence in the affected communities.
“The aforementioned development underscores the need to revisit and remodel the ranching programme.
“And to partly facilitate the campaign against inflammatory and divisive statements that are capable of escalating the subsisting crisis between farmers and herders,” the SGF added.
“Ministers should take necessary action on the matter to ensure peaceful co-existence between farmers and herders across the country.
He added that there is a looming confrontation between itinerant herders and farmers in Opiene community, Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia over alleged invasion by the herders on farmlands in adjoining Oblene forest.
“Nomads numbering about 15 arrived the agrarian settlement from neighbouring Itu village in Gdukpani Local Government Area of Cross River.
“President-General of the community, Kalu Irem, had drawn the attention of the government to the matter and urged government to intervene to avoid confrontation.
“Similarly, uneasy calm has pervaded Ogwashi-Uku and Ubulu-Unor communities in Aniocha Local Government Area of Delta State, due to increasing presence of strange pastoralists in the area.
“The anxiety followed the refusal of some resident to serve as guarantors to the intruding herders, who have already encroached on some farms at Chibata and Aboh-Ogwashi villages in same LGA.
“Relatedly, in Kwara, some nomads operating around Marafa axis of Ilorin-East Local Government Area were reportedly ready to confront members of their host community.
“The planned confrontation was as a result of the recent attack on two of their kinsmen in the area.
What you should know
Recall Nairametrics reported earlier this year that The Federal Government said that it is drafting a National Dairy Policy with the aim of reducing importation of livestock and livestock products, and at the same time stimulating exports to enhance national income generation.
FG added that Dairy Policy will also drive Nigeria’s dairy industry where all players at whatever scale will be expected to abide by rules of operation, in terms of production, processing and marketing of dairy products in Nigeria, as it reaches its final draft stages.
“This approach is to significantly reduce importation of livestock and livestock products and at the same time stimulate exports to enhance national income generation.
Last year, The federal government announced the launch of a pilot project of the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) with the inauguration of a model ranching hub project in Awe Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.