Herdsmen Crisis: FG Agrees To Set Up Ranches In Benue, Taraba, Nasarawa, Others

As part of efforts to end the clashes between farmers and herdsmen, the federal government says it will set up cattle ranches in 10 states across the country.

The 10 states, according to the government, are in the first phase of the national ranching project.

This was disclosed on Tuesday in Abuja at the unveiling of the National Economic Council’s National Livestock Transformation Plan.

The states are Adamawa, Benue, Ebonyi, Edo, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Oyo, Plateau, Taraba and Zamfara.

Andrew Kwasari, Secretary of the NEC Sub-Committee said the federal and state governments would spend N70bn in the first three years of the pilot phase of the programme.

He also disclosed that N179bn would be spent over a period of 10 years on the national livestock implementation.

Following the January 1st killings in Benue State, NEC had in February set up committee led by the Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, to proffer lasting solutions to the crisis.

“The National Livestock Implementation Plan is a mediation stemming from meetings and recommendations of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and NEC in 2017 as regards state interventions following the incessant pastoralist-farmer conflicts,” Kwasiri told newsmen on Tuesday.

He further stated that in April NEC approved the pilot implementation of the Federal Government-States Joint Ranching Policy as recommended by the Umahi-committee.

He stated, “A ranch design has also been proposed in models of various sizes clustered in 94 locations in the 10 pilot states.”

Kwasari added that the government planned transformation of pastoralism to ranching “to reduce the struggle for common resources.”

The secretary said, according to the plan, governors and private entities of the frontline states had donated land for the establishment of pilot ranches.

Kwasari indicated that there would be ranch models of 30, 60, 150 and 300 cows in a location within grazing reserves.

He said: “Based on the carrying capacity of each of the model ranches above, as determined by pasture and fodder yields, land is allocated for pasture production.”

Kwasari noted that grain production for livestock feed and post-harvest residues were incorporated into the ranching design.

He explained that the transition from pastoralism to ranching would, among other benefits, improve genetic material of indigenous cattle for milk and meat production.

Kwasari said that it would also provide “critical market access” and better linkages between smallholder livestock producers and investors in agriculture technology.

He stated that government would engage the private sector and other countries “to work with Nigerian research institutes in developing national cattle breeds for dairy and beef production over a 10 years period.