By Juliana Agbo

Abuja — In apparent support for the ranching policy, some Fulani herdsmen have called on the government at federal and state levels, to provide the necessary support systems that would enable them to settle down in one place to raise their livestock.

The herdsmen, who made the request in Bobii village in Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State during an inspection visit by the minister of agriculture and rural development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, said they were tired of roaming from place to place and preferred a ranch system of livestock production.

Speaking on behalf of the herdsmen, the Fulani community leader in Bobii village, Malam Abu Mairiga, said the herdsmen would support any policy that would make it possible for them to settle down in one place to do their livestock business.

LEADERSHIP Friday recalls that the federal government had decided on the ranching policy as a way to end the itinerant lifestyle of an average herdsman, who moves with his livestock from place to place in search of food and water, and the attendant consequences of farmers-herders clash. Hence, according to the government, a well-maintained ranch with water and all the basic amenities that will support both them and their livestock will no doubt, save them the trouble of wandering about in addition to increasing their productivity.

Some individuals and even state governments had condemned the ranching policy, alleging that it was a deliberate attempt to appropriate lands, but more rational commentators widely regarded it as a plausible solution to the continuous clashes between farmers and herdsmen.

"We are tired of roaming," Mariga said tersely, obviously pleased with the agric minister's visit.

While praising the policy initiatives of the federal government, especially the ranch policy, Mariga, however, requested that the government build the herders a secondary school to complement the primary school that was already on the ranch.

He also requested government support for artificial insemination so as to improve their cattle breed.

Speaking in similar vein, a community elder who declined to mention his name, said he was praying for the ranching policy to succeed as he hoped to settle down at one place in his old age.

Shortly after the meeting with the herdsmen, the minister, Chief Ogbeh, said the feedback from his interaction with the herders was a further confirmation of the fact that the ranching policy was the way to go.

According to him, his visit to the Fulani elders was an eye opener, as it was obvious that most of the itinerant herdsmen wanted to live a normal life, which further confirmed the wisdom in federal government's decision to opt for ranching.

LEADERSHIP Friday reports that the federal government has commenced the process of resettling herdsmen with the establishment of 31,000 hectares of grazing reserve in Niger State.

The minister of agriculture undertook an inspection tour of the facility located in Bobii village in Mariga LGA, where he commended the efforts of the Niger State government for keying into the federal government's plans to resettle herdsmen and end farmers/herders clash.

Ogbeh said the establishment of the 31,000-hectare-grazing facility worth about N13 billion was being equipped with a complete veterinary hospital, two dams, health care facility, grass growing fields, settlement areas for the herders, milk processing factory, a slaughterhouse and a school for the children of the herdsmen.

He expressed optimism that more of such would be built in different states of the country, and that it would bring the age-old conflict to an end.

"Our desire is to end this crisis. We don't want a single life lost and, like you heard the farmers saying, they, too, want to settle down and live a decent life, send their children to school and live like every other Nigerian in comfort and make some money from their cattle and their milk and their hide; that is the whole idea.

"The herdsmen are farmers. The way we support maize farmers, rice farmers, beans farmers, cassava farmers, (the same way) we have to support them to settle down and then there will be peace in the country," he said, even as he revealed that government had already approved funds for ranching.

"The president approved money, one money went through Federal Executive Council recently; another one will go through Council in two weeks' time. We will be here implementing the programme, including the rural settlements we are going to build in these places for people to live in.

"I am highly impressed with this, and I will take the report to the Council, to tell them what we've done and I am asking the states that are willing, I emphasise (to go with providing ranching facilities); we are not forcing any state to do this," he added.

Ogbeh spoke further about the other support structures for the herdsmen.

"We will bring them machines for milking cows. We are going to set up milk processing factories here, run by private sector operators.

"They already have dams, we have sent them pumps, solar pumps and others. We will help them grow grass, bring in machines to process agro waste so that when there is no grass, the cattle have something to eat. And luckily, they have water wells now. The cows must eat at least 10 or 15 kilogrammes of grass per day and, at least 30 litres of water and then we start artificial insemination to improve the breed of cattle.

"So by the time it is one year and a half, it should weigh 400kg and the farmer can sell it," he said.

The minister noted that Nigeria spends $1.2 million annually importing milk, but that with ranches, which will make it possible for the herdsmen to settle in one place, their cows would increase their yield of milk and the country would stop importing milk in two years' time.

"Wherever the state governors are willing and 16 states have written to us, we'll do it. Any state that later changes its mind, and wants to join the programme will do so, but we want to stop the open grazing and the moving around and give this industry what it deserves. It is a very big industry. It is six percent of GDP," he added.

LEADERSHIP Friday recalls that Ogbeh had, in December 2018, stated that the federal government would soon begin cattle ranching in the country to stop herdsmen from wandering about with their cattle.

Ogbeh made the disclosure during his official visit to a beans market at Auta Ballefi, Nasarawa State, operated by Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

He said: "We are starting the ranches soon. We will see if we can buy a large number of shell and keep before we start. We want to stop the cows roaming about, causing fights and killings.

"We will buy and give them to feed their cows now until they get used to the ranches. We want to know if you have up to a trailer load. We will see what we can do if we can off-take the shell from you."

Earlier in June 2018, the federal government had presented a plan to permanently solve the farmers-herders conflict which had claimed thousands of lives over the years.

The NEC, which has all 36 state governors as members and chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, approved a 10-year National Livestock Plan in 2018 which would cost about N179 billion.

The plan, tagged 'The National Livestock Transformation Plan,' is built on six key pillars: economic investment, conflict resolution, law and order, humanitarian relief, information/education and strategic communication, and cross-cutting issues.

The presentation of the plan, which was made by the technical adviser to the National Economic Council (NEC), Andrew Kwasari, in Abuja, stemmed from meetings and recommendations by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and National Economic Council in 2017.

The presentation event was attended by several public officials including the minister of agriculture, Chief Ogbeh, and Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, the state that bore the major brunt of herdsmen-farmers violence.

Kwasari said the plan would produce 94 ranches in 10 states, and that it focused on pilot intervention in the frontline states of Adamawa, Benue, Edo, Ebonyi, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Oyo, Plateau, Taraba and Zamfara.

"A Ranch Design Plan has also been proposed in models of various sizes clustered in 94 locations in the 10 pilot states. We will have clusters of 30, 60, 150, and 300 cow ranch models in a location within the donated and gazetted grazing reserves.

"The total spending for the 10-year period is slightly in excess of N179 billion. Funding for the first three years of the pilot phase is about N70 billion."

According to the plan, the economic investment pillar would support and strengthen the development of market-driven ranches in seven pilot states for improved livestock productivity through breed (genetic) improvement and pasture production, in addition to efficient land and water productivity.

The government also said it would rebuild social capital at the community level to promote mutual trust, confidence building and consolidate the peace process, with regard to the conflict resolution pillar.

The plan also showed that the law and order pillar would support the strengthening of legal frameworks for improving livestock production, peace and harmony.

The fourth pillar, humanitarian relief, will focus on rebuilding and reconstructing common facilities, worship places, markets and individual homes that had been destroyed.

The fifth pillar will aid information, education and strategic communication on the development of grazing reserves in the frontline states, and mitigate the consequences of these conflicts such as wanton loss of lives, destruction of properties, including schools and facilities.

The cross-cutting issues pillar identifies various cross-cutting issues necessary to realise the objectives of the programme, which include monitoring and evaluation and research to contribute evidence-based programme implementation, as well as gender mainstreaming.

ThinkSmarter:
Honestly, this guys should be given a land for ranch.
love their resilient and perseverance.
For without the fulanis, cow meats and goat meats would hv been imported.
But, they should leave south east land cuz niger state alone is bigger than south east, we will accomodate their nomadic herding though but not ranch.

swtdrms:
This is a very comprehensive plan. This will help alleviate several problems most especially farmers/herders clashes, open grazing which cause nuisance to the society as well as adequate milk production which is overdue. I pray all these strategic plans work as envisioned

stephleena:
Kaduna, where the southern Kaduna people will continue to feel the brunt.
Same with plateau and Benue..give these herders piece of land tomorrow they will claim their forefathers said the state is their inheritance.. na like play e go start

Blue3k:
Man this is best deal ever for the herdsmen. They government basically bamkrolls your business without you having to come put of pocket. I didnt read anywhere where the government is charging any fees to provide all these services and inputs so I guess tax payers will foot most of bill. I just hope their wont be tragedy of commons.

The good about plan is the herders dont own the land. The government will get much more tax revenue and we'll have alot of production in milk. Anyone that suddenly wants to raise cows can go use facilities. The milk processing and bovine cross breeding is great.

EdiAbali:

You're known to be supporting Fulani Jihadists here

ThinkSmarter:
Honestly, this guys should be given a land for ranch.
love their resilient and perseverance.
For without the fulanis, cow meats and goat meats would hv been imported.
But, they should leave south east land cuz niger state alone is bigger than south east, we will accomodate their nomadic herding though but not ranch.

ThinkSmarter:

love their resilient and perseverance.
For without the fulanis, cow meats and goat meats would hv been imported.

Oldsilver:
I really must commend the FG for coming up with this wonderful initiative aimed at curbing the incessant clashes between herdsmen and farmers for good.

Blue3k:

Abuja — In apparent support for the ranching policy, some Fulani herdsmen have called on the government at federal and state levels, to provide the necessary support systems that would enable them to settle down in one place to raise their livestock.
Source: https://leadership.ng/2019/03/29/we-are-tired-of-roaming-herdsmen-tell-agric-minister/

So FG should do what Open a business for them

Since when is the Federal government opening business for an individual

EdiAbali:


You are a zombie

Ogbeh said the establishment of the 31,000-hectare-grazing facility worth about N13 billion was being equipped with a complete veterinary hospital, two dams, health care facility, grass growing fields, settlement areas for the herders, milk processing factory, a slaughterhouse and a school for the children of the herdsmen.