FG Selects Five States, FCT for Pilot Ranching Program to Curb Herder Conflicts

The Nigerian Federal Government is launching a pilot program for its National Ranching Policy in six locations: Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Adamawa states, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The initiative aims to tackle the persistent farmer-herder conflicts plaguing these regions.

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Our understanding is that large numbers of cattle on the move are crisis-prone because grazing routes have disappeared due to farming, urbanisation and infrastructure development.

Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Maiha, announced that the program will commence at the Wase Grazing Reserve in Plateau State as a proof of concept. He explained that the selected areas have experienced high rates of conflict due to the disappearance of traditional grazing routes caused by farming, urbanization, and infrastructure development. "Nomadism, as we know it, is no longer sustainable and we need a different concept," Maiha stated.

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Nomadism, as we know it, is no longer sustainable and we need a different concept.

The policy encourages pastoralists to rear animals in designated, settled locations rather than migrating long distances for feed and water. The government plans to provide essential infrastructure in these ranching communities, including housing, veterinary clinics, schools, primary healthcare centers, and water facilities. Each grazing reserve is envisioned to become an economic hub, attracting businesses such as milk processors, modular abattoirs, and bio-digesters.

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Today, we go and fetch the grass and bring it where the animals are. Better still, grow the grass where the animals are.

Furthermore, the Federal Government is implementing a nationwide livestock identification program using radio frequency technology to tag all four-legged livestock. This initiative aims to combat cattle rustling, facilitate the recovery of stolen animals, and build a comprehensive national livestock database. The ministry is also actively promoting dairy development and commercial fodder cultivation as part of its broader strategy to modernize the livestock sector.

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Imagine what you are going to have if you have 30,000 herds of cattle in one area. The milk collection alone will attract processors and many other investments.