In order to restructure the livestock business and find long-term solutions to the nation’s recurrent conflicts between herders and farmers, President Bola Tinubu has given his approval for the creation of a Presidential Committee.
Following the submission of a report from the National Conference on Livestock Reforms and Mitigation of Associated Conflicts in Nigeria, the President announced the formation of the Committee on Thursday in Abuja.
Dr. Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, a former executive governor of Kano State and chairman of the All Progressives’ Congress (APC), called the conference.
According to the President, the Committee is required to work with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and make suggestions targeted at promoting amicable coexistence between herders and farmers while maintaining the safety and economic well-being of all Nigerians.
“The Federal Government is ready and willing to pay for the land’s acquisition costs. As new educational prospects for herders’ children and themselves arise, these opportunities will give our veterinarians gainful employment while also creating doors for the private sector. We’ll set up some medical facilities. We have an opportunity that could change our lives.
“Consider if we could supply our schoolchildren with enough milk. Imagine that we start to export cheese and yoghurt on a net basis. Think about how much skin we could produce if Nigeria had a significant leather industry. Think about the jobs we could create by offering cold storage facilities around the country. The President asserted that these things are now feasible.
President Tinubu praised Ganduje for bringing together the top thinkers and specialists to address the enduring problems between pastoralists and farmers.
He also commended the committee members for their painstaking effort in delving into the intricate problems pertaining to security, land usage, and livestock management.
“If you look carefully, you can find an opportunity in every tragedy. This conflict has been present for some time. We are aware that it is a domestic issue. People find it quite difficult to abandon their conventional, established habits.
“In 2018, I made an effort to solve this issue, but it was unsuccessful. But someone once told me never to give up, and today I think the answer is here,” the President said, pointing to the committee report’s list of suggestions.
“The persistence of this situation is not the responsibility of farmers and herders. It is the leadership’s fault for not coming up with quick fixes to their issues. Thinking and acting are the two pillars of leadership, he stated.
In his remarks, Ganduje recalled that he had hosted the National Conference while serving as the governor of Kano State as part of a deliberate effort to support the modernization of livestock production while enhancing the ability of local authorities to manage interactions and peacefully resolve disputes between herders and farmers.
Throughout his eight years in power, he stated that Kano has remained one of the most tranquil states in the nation.
“Mr. President, I am confident that the study presented today provides the solution to the issues facing the livestock business. It discusses the crucial reforms and offers numerous choices for development necessary for the sector’s sustained growth.
The Convener stated that putting the suggestions into action will increase production, improve livelihoods, encourage environmental conservation, address major reasons why farmers and pastoralists clash, and lower the cost of importing animal products like milk and beef.
