Contractors Working To Revive Grazing Reserves In 21 States — FG

The Federal Government has said it has begun the rehabilitation
of grazing reserves in 21 states, as a means of resolving the
farmers/herders crisis across the country.

The Minister of Agriculture, Sabo Nanono disclosed this during a
webinar meeting organised by the Policy Centre of Abuja Chamber of
Commerce and Industry (ACCI) to mark the World Milk Day, 2021.

The Minister said the Ministry has mobilised contractors to
various sites across the country with a target to revive the
grazing reserves.

This is coming weeks after the Southern Governor’s Forum had
warned that no land in the south will be ceded for grazing.

Recall, the Governors of the 17 southern states had resolved to
ban open grazing of cattle in their states.

Open grazing of cattle has in recent times caused conflicts
between host communities and migrant herders, leading to deaths in
many states.

The Forum noted that development and population growth had put
pressure on available land in the region, thereby increasing the
prospects of conflict between migrating herders and local indigenes
in the south.

However, the Minister on Tuesday said that work is presently
ongoing with monitoring team supervising progress of works at
various centres.

He said, “The Federal Government is committed to providing
infrastructures that will make the reserves suitable for
pastoralist thereby increasing Nigerians local dairy production
capacity.

“The government is collaborating with local and international
partners to improve the relationship between farmer/herder through
revitalisation of the grazing reserves urging Nigerians to support
government efforts in this direction.”

The President, ACCI, Al-Mujtaba Abubakar called for intensive
backward integration within the Dairy Sector, as currently being
championed by the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Ministry of
Agriculture.

The major policy thrust of the ACCI-Policy brief which was
launched in the meeting includes; private-sector-driven
implementation of the National livestock transformation plan,
creation of private sector driven ranching system.

Others are establishment of a National Dairy Board, training and
capacity building of pastoralists and deployment of modern
technology to every segment of the dairy business.

The Federal Government has said it has begun the rehabilitation
of grazing reserves in 21 states, as a means of resolving the
farmers/herders crisis across the country.

The Minister of Agriculture, Sabo Nanono disclosed this during a
webinar meeting organised by the Policy Centre of Abuja Chamber of
Commerce and Industry (ACCI) to mark the World Milk Day, 2021.

The Minister said the Ministry has mobilised contractors to
various sites across the country with a target to revive the
grazing reserves.

This is coming weeks after the Southern Governor’s Forum had
warned that no land in the south will be ceded for grazing.

Recall, the Governors of the 17 southern states had resolved to
ban open grazing of cattle in their states.

Open grazing of cattle has in recent times caused conflicts
between host communities and migrant herders, leading to deaths in
many states.

The Forum noted that development and population growth had put
pressure on available land in the region, thereby increasing the
prospects of conflict between migrating herders and local indigenes
in the south.

However, the Minister on Tuesday said that work is presently
ongoing with monitoring team supervising progress of works at
various centres.

He said, “The Federal Government is committed to providing
infrastructures that will make the reserves suitable for
pastoralist thereby increasing Nigerians local dairy production
capacity.

“The government is collaborating with local and international
partners to improve the relationship between farmer/herder through
revitalisation of the grazing reserves urging Nigerians to support
government efforts in this direction.”

The President, ACCI, Al-Mujtaba Abubakar called for intensive
backward integration within the Dairy Sector, as currently being
championed by the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Ministry of
Agriculture.

The major policy thrust of the ACCI-Policy brief which was
launched in the meeting includes; private-sector-driven
implementation of the National livestock transformation plan,
creation of private sector driven ranching system.

Others are establishment of a National Dairy Board, training and
capacity building of pastoralists and deployment of modern
technology to every segment of the dairy business.