While receiving the formal report of the National Livestock conference held at the International Conference Centre,
Abuja on 25th of september, 2017 the minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh affirmed that the Federal Government is grieved and concerned about the fatal dimension the issue of the fulani herdsmen and crop farmer crisis is taking and he gave his assurance that the government will do anything within her power to provide a lasting solution.
In the minister's opinion, Government’s proposal to set up Cattle Colonies and encouragement of ranches remain the best option to stop the killings and the toxic hatred that has erupt from this ugly occurrence, claiming that the incessant killing of the farmer by their rival (fulani herdsmen) is not accepted by the government, thus,there is need to take necessary step in putting an end to the killing permanently, secure modern way of livelihood for the herdsmen. The minister also revealed that a Sensitization Programme to educate the herders, farmers and the communities including the politicians is underway.
Chief Audu Ogbeh, took his time to reiterate the fact that the FG is not seizing land of any Nigerian to give to the fulani herdsmen for them to colonize,and that the programme was also not an appeasement of Fulani's at the detriment of crop farmers either. “We didn’t envisage how much high voltage emotion and politicking this issue has generated. It is one of our characteristics as a country that we live with. We needed to educate the herdsmen, educate every one of us of the need to move away from what we were doing before that is bringing conflict for many reasons; avoiding crisis and making this industry more productive. I know that the average herdsman is more concerned about the number of his herds than perhaps the milk coming out, about the speed the cattle can grow and the value of the meat, which is why he needs education. More than this, we also have the leaders, the politicians; we all need education on this” he said.
Minister Audu Ogbeh went further to announce that members of the Committee will play a major role in implementing the decision of the government after a quick study of the report. members of the Committee incliude Mr John Taiwo of the Departmentt of Animal Husbandry Services, Alhaji Auwal Maidabino of Planning and Policy Coordination, Mr Hammed Sanni of Food and Agricultural Organisation FAO, a representative of Kogi State Government and Engr. Kola Owolabi of the Federal Department of Agriculture of the Ministry.
Dr Gideon Mshebwalla, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee said the Committee identified lack of access to land, low productivity, old practice of open grazing, lack of access to finance, inadequate water provision, inefficient landholding, poor infrastructure and support facilities as well as low level of extension facilities as being the major factors militating against optimal development of the sector as he Presenting the report to the Hon Minister,
The Committee recommended resuscitation of the grazing reserves, encouragement of private people to go into setting up ranches in addition to the Federal Government setting up of cattle colonies.The Committee also wanted Government to intervene in the provision of infrastructures and support services like roads, electricity, water, improved pasture and provision of extension services as well as empowering the Agricultural Research Institutes to invest on research that will be accessible to the end users.
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