FAO Implements Live Stock Transformation Plan with Interventions

In line with ongoing efforts to resolve herder-farmer clashes in the country and boost dairy and meat production, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of theUnited Nations (FAO) has commenced the implementation of the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP)in Kaduna and Niger states.

 

The Nigerian government launched a ten-year National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) in 2019, to curtail the movement of cattle, boost livestock production and put an end to herder-farmer conflicts in the country.

 

The NLTP seeks to curtail open grazing by settling the nomadic pastoralists in ranches or grazing reserves across the country.

 

The plan makes provision for adequate water supply, veterinary clinics, schools and training on best practices for the pastoralist.

 

Though some states in the country have welcomed the NLTP and put plans in place to implement them, others are still skeptical about the plan.

 

The ban on open grazing by some state governments has necessitated interventions by organisations and some state governments to speed up the implementation of the NLTP.

 

 

 

What FAO is doing

In Kaduna state, North West Nigeria, The FAO is intervening in the over 5000 hectares Damau Grazing reserve in Kabau local government area of the state by providing the settled pastoralist with some basic amenities.

 

The amenities include solar powered industrial borehole a source of water for both pastoralist, Cattles to irrigate nine hectares of pasture field of Napia, gambia grass, fenced areas, reticulated water points for animal and human use, Drip lines for irrigation, accommodation for extension staff and training shed are provided by the FAO on the grazing reserve.

 

Handle simple ailment

Pastoralists were trained on how to handle simple ailment and administer medications while their women were trained on hygienic methods of milking cows.

 

The National consultant to the project Jazuli Bichi speaking while on the tour of the Grazing Reserve said initially people were not sure the pastoralist would key into the plan but this demonstration by FAO has proven that it can work and that they are willing to key in.

 

“So we’re looking at a situation whereby you can demonstrate that this is possible, this project on itself is just to demonstrate that it is possible to do this kind of activity, do intensification, keep the animals in one place, provide the necessary infrastructure, which at the end of the day will improve the productivity of even the animals so it was planned on three outputs”

 

Bichi explained that aside from providing basic infrastructures, FAO was also providing capacity building for the pastoralist to be self-reliant by training them on how to grow their pastures and identifying edible feed from poisonous ones, and process their milk in an hygienic environment amongst others.

 

“So we train them first on what fits. We made them to understand some of the tree crops, the shrubs that they have, how they can process them into livestock feed because any leaf, any plant you see you can be made into livestock, Unless if that particular plant is poisonous, and if it is poisonous you can remove the source of the poison. So we train them on how to conserve the feed and also train them on How to utilise the feed efficiently for the animals”

 

According to him, the training being given to the Pastoralist was for them to be self-reliant and own the project so that after FAO’s intervention they can sustain the reserve and run it by themselves.

 

Government supporting NLTP

Aside from FAO, the Kaduna state government also has some infrastructures in place on the reserve; the state has an established Veterinary clinic and six boreholes that the FAO plans to revive to further boost water supply on the reserve.

 

The commissioner of agriculture in the state Mr. Ibrahim Hussaini one of the most important aspects of implementing the NLTP is getting the pastoralists to have a buy-in.

 

“The locals have keyed into this project and that is what would make the project successful as far as I’m concerned and sustainable because sustainability is key to project.”

 

While noting that the state government the training provided to the pastoralist by FAO would further help them take over the project and own it said Kaduna state government would bring private investors to run the programme while the government would supervise.

 

This he said would further increase the sustainability chances of the project.

 

Beneficiary Pastoralist Receptives

While on the tour of the reserve that houses about 20,000 Cattles, pastoralists and their wives could be seen going about their businesses on the reserve, though not many of them were on ground as it was a market day and majority of the women folk had taken their milk and other farm produce to the market.

 

Beneficiary pastoralists bared their minds on the development, for Sani Mohammed Oro who spoke in Hausa language said before the intervention they moved from place to place in search of food and water for their herds.

 

Oro said so far they are grateful for the interventions particularly the training aspects has been of great help to them in caring for the reserve and their cattle.

 

He added that the training has helped improve their output especially in the area of milk production as their women were taught how to process cow milk into yogurts and other things.

 

Although he wishes the FAO would revive the other moribund boreholes in order to end water shortage on the reserve, he further explained that the borehole provided by the FAO is over stretched as it serves both cattle and pastoralists.

 

Another Beneficiary Hareera umar who also spoke in Hausa said, for her, the fact that she and her fellow pastoralist no longer move from place to place for feed and water exposing them to danger in the wild is a welcome development.

 

She noted that being settled at a place is helping her children as they have been enrolled in and now have the opportunity of acquiring western education.

 

FAO is also implementing the NLTP with special interventions in Bobi Grazing Reserve in Niger state North Central Nigeria,

 

 

 

; the state has an established Veterinary clinic and six boreholes that the FAO plans to revive to further boost water supply on the reserve.

 

The commissioner of agriculture in the state Mr. Ibrahim Hussaini one of the most important aspects of implementing the NLTP is getting the pastoralists to have a buy-in.

 

“The locals have keyed into this project and that is what would make the project successful as far as I’m concerned and sustainable because sustainability is key to project”

 

While noting that the state government the training provided to the pastoralist by FAO would further help them take over the project and own it said Kaduna state government would bring private investors to run the programme while the government would supervise.

 

This he said would further increase the sustainability chances of the project.

 

BENEFICIARY PASTORALIST RECEPTIVES

 

While on the tour of the reserve that houses about 20,000 Cattle, pastoralists and their wives could be seen going about their business on the reserve, though not many of them were on ground as it was a market day and majority of the women folk had taken their milk and other farm produce to the market.

 

Beneficiary pastoralists bared their minds on the development, for Sani Mohammed Oro who spoke in Hausa language said before the intervention they moved from place to place in search of food and water for their herds.

 

Oro said so far they are grateful for the interventions particularly the training aspects has been of great help to them in caring for the reserve and their cattle.

 

He added that the training has helped improve their output especially in the area of milk production as their women were taught how to process cow milk into yogurts and other things.

 

Although he wishes the FAO would revive the other moribund boreholes in order to end water shortage on the reserve, he further explained that the borehole provided by the FAO is over stretched as it serves both cattle and pastoralists.

 

Another Beneficiary Hareera umar who also spoke in Hausa said, for her, the fact that she and her fellow pastoralist no longer move from place to place for feed and water exposing them to danger in the wild is a welcome development.

 

She noted that being settled at a place is helping her children as they have been enrolled in and now have the opportunity of acquiring western education.

 

FAO is also implementing the NLTP with special interventions in Bobi Grazing Reserve in Niger state North Central Nigeria.

 

 

Lateefah Ibrahim