Barrister Obel Yaji, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry
By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi
In fulfilling its new policy on livestock farming across the country, the Federal Government of Nigeria has commenced an empowerment programme for pastoralists aimed at encouraging them to breed their cattle within their communities using the ranching process which will reduce if not completely eradicate open grazing.
The program was kicked started with the disbursement of the empowerment materials for the North-East beneficiaries held in Gombe on Thursday.
While handing over the items to the beneficiaries, one of the Consultants, Mr. Abiola Fola, said that each of the fourteen selected beneficiaries of the empowerment will go home with an heifer, transportation provider among other benefits which will serve as starter packs.
The programme which is through the Nigeria Institute of Animal Science, has Promex Multi-services Nigeria Limited as consultants that made the distribution.
Abiola Fola explained that the empowerment programme is aimed at encouraging the pastoralists to build their herds of cows by giving them heifers to breed, re-breed and produce more cows saying that, “the animals we are giving them are young healthy female cows. They have been vaccinated to be able to stand in terms of health and other challenges” .
He also said that, “It is intended that they will be able to breed more of these animals, derive other byproducts from the animals, not only for the meat, milk, they can also breed other animals, enlarge their herds that they can sell”.
According to him, they are going round the geopolitical zones and will “teach and guide the beneficiaries on the use of current technology in animal breeding so as to get the best results.
A lead paper presenter during the training, Dr. Babawuro Yahaya from the department of animal science, faculty of agriculture, Federal University of Kashere, Gombe State, praised the Federal Government’s efforts saying, “the FG feels there is need to waken our brothers, the herdsmen, so that this movement of cattle from north to south will be stopped”.
He said the programme is being tagged ” cattle husbandry practice” and is aimed at establishment of ranching.
According to him, the biggest ranch in Gombe State is the Wawa-zange, established to house over two million cattle but that due to encroachment and farming activities the land has now diminished stating however that “the FG is putting more inputs so that we will settle those nomads from the Northeast part of the country in that particular place”.
He also said that pastoralists selected were mostly heads of families who will in turn narrate and even sell the ideas to others because the issue of going to south, always creating conflict between herders and farmers should be stopped.
State Commissioner for Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Muhammad Magaji Gettado, who was represented by his Permanent Secretary, Barrister Obed Yaji, commended the FG for the programme.
While calling for peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders, he said the State Government alongside the Federal Government, have put in a number of facilities in Wawazange cattle ranch to encourage herders and cattle rearing not only in the Northeast zone but the whole of Nigeria.
