FG pushes ranching to end farmer-herder conflict

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Livestock Development, Idris Ajimobi, on Wednesday, disclosed that his office, in collaboration with the Ministry of Livestock Development, had commenced the revival of grazing reserves and ranches across Nigeria so as to curb farmer-herder clashes.

He disclosed this during an interactive session with journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. Ajimobi said work had already started on the Kawu Grazing Reserve in Abuja, adding that a nationwide audit of existing ranches and the 417 grazing reserves is ongoing to determine those that can be upgraded before new ones are established.

The SSA said, “It’s not just about teaching farmers modern ways of farming. If we teach without providing the necessary infrastructure, we are wasting our time. Our intention is to teach, revive the reserves we have, modernize them, and use them as a platform to begin the ranching system that the government wants. It has been successful in other countries, and it can be successful here.

“Then we have also begun reviving some of the grazing reserves. We started with Kawu Grazing Reserve in Abuja. We started the revival last year. We are hoping that it will be ready soon.

“We are also speaking, trying to identify all the ranches across the nation. Because before we can start new ones, we must first see what is on the ground, see how they can be modernized, and used as a platform to begin the ranching system that the government wants to begin in Nigeria.

“Because we have realized it’s successful in other countries, and it can be successful here. And it can help us reduce the conflict that we are constantly facing between farmers and herders. So, there are ongoing projects to revive ranches across the nation—grazing reserves as well as ranches.

“We have 417 grazing reserves, and they are more challenging than we would have thought. They are very big, but we are working on reviving them. We have reached out to partners in the private sector and in the international community who are looking to come on board and partner with us for the revival of these projects. So, definitely we are working on these things,” he explained.

Ajimobi said President Bola Tinubu’s administration is committed to making Nigeria food secure, a commitment that informed the creation of a dedicated Ministry of Livestock Development.

He revealed that the President has set a target that “every child must be able to get a sachet of milk and one egg every day” as a minimum nutritional benchmark, saying his team is working towards that goal.

Responding to concerns over insecurity in forests and farmlands, the SSA maintained that tackling kidnapping and banditry requires collective action. “Criminals do not thrive without some level of community complicity, often linked to poverty.”

He said modernising livestock production and engaging community members as part of ranger forces would complement the efforts of the Nigerian Armed Forces, whom he described as “the bravest of the brave.”

“Government has a role to play, but the communities also have a role to play. We are confident that together we can address these challenges.”

On investment inflows into the livestock sector, Ajimobi listed recent agreements secured by President Tinubu, including a $1.5bn deal with JBS, the world’s largest beef processor; a cooperation agreement with France on livestock and agriculture; and a £100m dairy production and processing pact signed during the President’s recent trip to the United Kingdom.

He added that Saudi Arabia has also expressed interest in Nigerian bovine red meat, with talks ongoing to commence exports.