Farmers/Herders Clash; Nigerian Government Calls For Synergy
Ene Okwanihe, Abuja
The Nigerian Government have called for synergy between the livestock and crop subsector as a catalyst to ending Farmers/ herders clash in the country while assuring the livestock subsector of better funding.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development in Nigeria Dr. Mohammad Abubakar made the call at the ongoing Regional Summit on Human and Climate Security Challenges and Farmers/ Herders Conflict Resolution in the Livestock Sector in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
While delivering the opening address, Dr. Abubakar highlighted some of the ways climate change contributes to farmers/herders crises in Nigeria and the West African region.
“In the north-eastern region of Nigeria for example, we are witnessing the negative impact of the depletion of water in the “Oasis in the desert” Lake Chad on the livelihood of over 45 million people living in the Basin.
It is common knowledge that crop farmers, fishermen and particularly livestock farmers and other people living around the lake depend on it for their economic well-being and sustenance.
Some of the consequences of Lake Chad drying up is the increased unrest in the region occasioned by competition for scarce resources among fishermen, farmers and herders.
According to him “This unfortunate situation has been exacerbated by the terrorist activities of Boko Haram in the region, banditry and kidnapping for ransom which has now extended to other parts of the country in Nigeria and neighbouring countries”.
Dr. Abubakar who noted that there was a need for balance between both sub-sectors, the livestock would receive more attention in the areas of funding and just like the crop subsector.
“We are coming with different ways of support for the livestock sector just as it’s being given out to the farmers and that includes grants and loan facilities this would bring more harmony in the whole relationship between farmers and herders”
In his remark, the Governor of Kebbi state Abubakar Bagudu who highlighted some of the issues that need to be looked into while addressing farmers/herders crises said the issue is one that can no longer be ignored.
He said one of the issues is that those who are involved in the cattle industry which is a major economic activity in Nigeria don’t take quality into consideration but quantity.
“When people talk about ranching, they seem to forget that the prominent issue in the cattle industry in Nigeria is an issue where those who are involved in this major economic activity in the country do not seem to care about quality. They talk about the quantity, the number of cows the number of cattle in their house while the Elites will continue to talk about the quality of the beef and the product, I believe until this issue is looked at critically and addressed, We may have a lot of problem for a long time to cope with and we don’t pray for that.”
According him there’s a need to stop seeing herders roaming about with cattle as their way of life as movement of cattle from place to place has adverse effects on the quality of beef and dairy products and those does allow for proper harnessing of the sectors potentials
“In the situation where the rearing activity is seen as the cultural activity and part of life of a whole group of people, unless we address the issue the mind sets will definitely continue to have some resistance. When you look at advanced countries in the world and the way and manner they master the industry, it is about the quantity, it’s about the quality of the products. We talked about dairy products, we talked about the quality of the beef. For instance, it’s common for a single cow to produce about 30 to 40 litres of milk daily. But the bridge we have here in Nigeria, you realize that you hardly get three liters for what?”
Bagudu commended the efforts of the Federal Minister of Agriculture in convening the regional summits while noting that it is important for food security not only in Nigeria, but across the West African region.
