Nigeria to Establish Six Modern Ranching Settlements to End Farmer-Herder Clashes

Nigeria's federal government is launching a new initiative to establish modern ranching settlements in six areas identified as major conflict flashpoints. This move aims to end the recurring clashes between crop farmers and herders that have plagued the country.

The plan involves rehabilitating 417 grazing reserves nationwide. A pilot scheme is already underway in Plateau State, designed to test a new livestock production model that reduces cattle movement. This model seeks to address a primary trigger of rural conflicts.

Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, briefed President Bola Tinubu on the National Ranching Policy. He stated that traditional nomadic livestock production is no longer sustainable due to the disappearance of grazing routes, expansion of farms, urbanization, and infrastructure development. "Large number of cattle on the move is crisis-prone because, number one, the grazing routes have disappeared," Maiha explained.

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Large number of cattle on the move is crisis-prone because, number one, the grazing routes have disappeared. Farms, large farms have come up, aggressive urbanisation, demand for land for infrastructure development, so many other things have made nomadism not sustainable.

The government is engaging with pastoral communities, including organizations like Miyetti Allah and the Sultan of Sokoto, to gain their support for the transition to ranching. The focus is on providing essential resources like feed and water within designated settlements, eliminating the need for constant cattle movement. "Human beings can move; they don’t cause crisis. It’s the animals’ movement that normally generates this crisis," the minister added.

Commercial pasture cultivation and breed improvement are also being promoted to support the new livestock production model. The government believes that by providing resources in situ, the need for animals to travel long distances will be removed, thereby mitigating a significant source of conflict.

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Why don’t you provide these resources in situ and stop these animals from moving? Human beings can move; they don’t cause crisis. It’s the animals’ movement that normally generates this crisis.