By Eteteonline
According to reports, the federal government has taken one of the most significant steps to date to resolve the protracted herder-farmer conflict by announcing a statewide ban on open grazing.
Alhaji Mukhtar Maiha, the Minister of Livestock Development, is reported to have disclosed the decision at the first National Council on Livestock Development’s inauguration in Yola, Adamawa State. The Federal Government could no longer ignore the growing violence associated with open grazing, Maiha explained.
Recurring conflicts between farmers and herders in various parts of the nation were reported to have caused terrible losses for innumerable communities, from fatalities to the destruction of homes and farmlands. He claimed that the pattern of assaults and retaliation had escalated into a national security risk that required immediate attention. The minister emphasized that open grazing is now a capital offense under the updated cattle legislation, calling the new policy a “watershed.”
According to reports, he pushed herders to start ranching right away, claiming that contemporary ranching methods are safer, more effective, and much more advantageous for both herders and host communities. He also emphasized that ranching would help lower conflict, improve the weight and health of cattle, and create commercial opportunities in the livestock industry. Maiha also emphasized the government’s more comprehensive economic plan for the livestock sector. According to him, the ministry wants to make livestock Nigeria’s second-largest source of income, after gas and oil.
However, the Federal Government stated that, in contrast to what certain media sites have been saying, open grazing has not been outlawed nationwide. Alhaji Idi Maiha, the Minister of Livestock Development, acknowledged that no such policy has been established, according to a statement signed by the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development’s Head of Press and Public Relations.
Rather, a planned and progressive shift from open grazing to contemporary ranching techniques is being carried out by the government. The Minister stated that there are currently 273 gazetted grazing reserves in Nigeria, which span more than 4.5 million hectares.
In order to make these reserves suitable for pastoralists and other livestock operators, the federal government is working with state governments to revitalize and equip them.
According to the statement, “The transition plan does not abolish open grazing overnight but provides viable alternatives that support productivity, reduce conflicts, and promote a sustainable livestock ecosystem.” The legally designated grazing reserves are intended to function as commercial spaces for all livestock operations. It is our duty to modernize these reserves and enable their appropriate use, he stated.
For correct information on livestock development policies, the Ministry advised the public to ignore false stories and rely on official government communication channels.
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