The Kano State governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has identified five locations within forests in the state to serve as grazing reserves, even as the minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh has restated federal government’s resolve to create grazing reserves across the country.
Ogbeh stated this last Monday, during his visit to Kano State for the kick-off of wheat farming programme.
The duo separately stated that this initiative is part of their efforts towards addressing the recurring clashes between herdsmen and farmers.
Dr. Ganduje made his own revelation while receiving the newly elected officials of the state chapter of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, MACBAN, who visited him at the Government House.
He said the government decided to settle the herdsmen in model locations to facilitate modern cattle breeding, which is more profit yielding, noting that it is no longer safe and economically rewarding for herdsmen to wander from the Northern part of the country to other areas in search of pasture.
“In those days, it was quite easy for one to move about a herd ofabout 20 – 50 cattle from home to areas near streams to allow theanimals to feed. Nowadays, people, obviously from outside the country move about with about 500 – 1, 000 cattle in search of pasture, leading to clashes with farmers”, he lamented.
The governor promised that the state government would provide boreholes, pasture and other facilities in the proposed reserves to change the nomadic and seemingly disadvantageous lifestyle of the herdsmen.
To help in transforming the living condition of the herdsmen, Governor Ganduje recalled that 60 Fulani youth were sponsored by the government for training in artificial insemination, in Turkey, to improve the value chains of beef and dairy, in line with international best practices.
He tasked the new officials of the state branch of MACBAN to network with other Fulani NGOs like Tabital Fulaaku, to assist the government to obtain data on indigenous herdsman and to collaborate with the office of the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Nomadic Education, to make life better for their members.