The Nigerian Government and some
States in the country have agreed to set up cattle ranches.
These will take effect in
Adamawa, Benue, Ebonyi, Edo, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Oyo, Plateau, Taraba and Zamfara
States.
The ranches are aimed at bringing
an end to the crisis between herdsmen and farmers in the affected states.
The agreement was reached on
Tuesday in Abuja at the unveiling of the National Economic Council’s National
Livestock Transformation Plan as part of efforts to end clashes between farmers
and herdsmen.
Presenting the plan, the
Secretary of the NEC Sub-Committee, Dr. Andrew Kwasari said the Nigerian
government will spend N70bn in the first three years of the pilot phase of the
programme.
Kwasari disclosed that N179bn
would be spent over a period of 10 years on the national livestock
implementation.
Addressing journalists, Kwasari
said, 10 states in pilot phase of the programme include, Adamawa, Benue,
Ebonyi, Edo, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Oyo, Plateau, Taraba and Zamfara.
He said, “The National Livestock
Implementation Plan is a mediation stemming from meetings and recommendations
of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and NEC in 2017 as regards state
interventions following the incessant pastoralist-farmer conflicts.
“A ranch design has also been
proposed in models of various sizes clustered in 94 locations in the 10 pilot
states.”
He noted that the government
planned transformation of pastoralism to ranching “to reduce the struggle for
common resources.”
Stating that governors and
private entities of the frontline states had donated land for the establishment
of pilot ranches, Kawasari noted that there would be ranch models of 30, 60,
150 and 300 cows in a location within grazing reserves.
He said, “Based on the carrying
capacity of each of the model ranches above, as determined by pasture and
fodder yields, land is allocated for pasture production.”
Kwasari said government would
engage the private sector and other countries “to work with Nigerian research
institutes in developing national cattle breeds for dairy and beef production
over a 10 years period.”
He added, “The plan envisages
cross-breeding scheme with exotic semen of Brahman on Sokoto/Adamawa Guadli for
beef cattle, while Holstein Friesian/Jersey will be used to cross-breed
Bunaji.”
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
This is the agenda of Audu Ogbe.Let it be implemented so that Buhari can feed him forever.
ReplyDelete