herdsmen |
The daily recurrent
of clashes between the farmers and herdsmen in the local communities has brought the issue of the 2013 D-8 meeting
held in Abuja into our focus as one of the measures that can be used to
checkmate this menace as animals would be contained in a place for better meat fatling
for more economic gain running to trillion pounds in the global market.
Recently the
issue of improved seeds importation for grass growing in the country by federal
government has been generating series of attacks on the pages of the national
newspapers and social media unabatedly despite the Minister of Agriculture and
Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh’s correction of the erroneous impressions.
One factor is
very clear which is the issue of herdsmen and crop farmers’ clashes in the
country that is daily increasing with the need to proffer solution which is the
responsibility of government which nobody can take away.
The search for
a particular edible grass and water have turned the herdsmen’ pattern of lives
to moving their animals from one country to another , and also state to state
within a country which has to be given solution by government.
We must not
sheer away from the fact that Nigeria must be ready to give it what it takes to
be among the leading meat producers of the world by way of doing things rightly
through containment of the our animals’ movement through sufficient edible
nutritious grasses as food provision with waters.
At Abuja in
2013, the D-8 Agricultural Ministerial Meeting has stressed the need for
members countries (Nigeria, Turkey, Iran, Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia,
Malaysia and Pakistan) to establish seed bank, fertilizer investment fund,
Halal meat investment commission and research development so as to be able to
compete with western world in terms of standard products for potential market.
The question is
how many of all these have we put in place to ensure more economic gains
through the movement of processed meat rather than live animals. As much as we
agree with importation of improved seeds varieties for growing grasses as part of immediate plan to
addressing clashes between herdsmen and farmers, we also strongly belief that
all further suggestion of alternative means of feeds solutions as specified at
the D-8 meeting held in Abuja be upheld
with further action.
We are aware
through the Growth Enhancement Support of the FMARD that effort towards
checkmating incessant clashes between the pastoral and farmers through capacity
building on the use of processed crops
residue and by products to feed animals was highly promoted to an extent that
must be sustained and continue as part of measures to improve on animals feeds.
In the Federal
Government’ s spirited effort towards finding solution to animals and cow
feeds, we are of the view that all local content alternative possibilities must be exhausted before
embarking on improved seeds for planting grasses in the country thereby
reducing import bill that is already toll on our economy.
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