Nigeria Revives Ranching Plan to End Herder-Farmer Clashes

Nigeria's federal government is launching a renewed effort to end persistent farmer-herder conflicts and overhaul the livestock sector by establishing modern ranching settlements. The plan includes rehabilitating 417 grazing reserves and creating new settlements in six states identified as major flashpoints: Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Adamawa, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, stated that a pilot scheme is already underway in Plateau State to test a livestock production model designed to reduce cattle movement. The government is actively seeking the support of key stakeholders, including the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, who is the Grand Patron of Miyetti Allah, and has consulted with pastoral communities to facilitate the transition from nomadic herding to settled ranching.

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The ministry therefore envisaged a ranching model that would transform grazing reserves into economic communities with housing, veterinary clinics, schools, healthcare facilities, solar power and earth dams for pasture irrigation.

Nomadic livestock production is becoming increasingly untenable due to shrinking grazing routes caused by farming, urbanization, and infrastructure development. The ministry envisions ranching reserves transformed into self-sufficient economic hubs, complete with housing, veterinary clinics, schools, healthcare facilities, solar power, and earth dams for pasture irrigation. This approach addresses the growing unsustainability of traditional herding practices.

The initiative comes as many southern states and two northern states (Benue and Taraba) have banned open grazing, prohibiting the movement of livestock and the carrying of firearms by herders. While these bans aim to curb the incessant violent clashes, a comprehensive short, medium, and long-term plan involving all stakeholders is deemed necessary to effectively end the nomadic culture. The government's focus on modernizing cattle rearing acknowledges the significant threat that nomadism poses to national security.

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It is heartwarming that the real conversation about how to modernise the way we rear cattle in the country has started, especially considering the threat nomadism continues to pose to our national security.