How FG livestock intervention is impacting in Bauchi, Gombe

Myetti Allah thank FG

The impacts of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) in Bauchi and Gombe is an evidence that the roaming of cattle in Nigeria can be prevented through the ranching model as many farmers are already complying with this modern method of keeping animals in these two states.

Food Farm News authoritatively confirmed this during a visit recently. .

It was learnt that some Fulani pastoralists in Bauchi had in the past purchased land they are using to rear their animals, and this has helped in ensuring peaceful coexistence between the farmers and herders in these states for many years thereby making government intervention much easier to enhance the animal productivity of beef and milk.

These pastoralists existing structures in the two states have enabled the Federal Government (FG) livestock intervention program of President Muhammadu Buhari  milk acceleration program possible as assistance could be easily extended to pastoralists towards animals ranching through the grazing routes and land acquisition by herders from the locals towards a sustainable animals’ productivity that is free of conflict and clashes with the crops farmers.

  One of the pastoralists, Jubril Usman who spoke with our correspondent said he relocated from Kano state about fifteen years ago to buy land in Bauchi for the purpose of modern-day animals productivity of ranching model to prevent the movement of the animals from straying into people’s farms and causing destruction on farmers’  produce.  

 Mallam Jubril Usman narrated to Food Farm News how they had temporary resided in the grazing site they had bought with money after moving from Kano to Bauchi state for  15 years, pointed on how  they had met with the village head, and how local government authority was being convinced to sell about 50 hectares of land at the rate of N80,000 per hectare after our peaceful coexistence for over a period of ten years with a lot of beef and milk production looking for off takers.

This peaceful coexistence between farmers and pastoralists in Bauchi was confirmed by the state’s Permanent Secretary (PS) Ministry of Agriculture, Barrister. Saratu Musa Jibrin, chairman, Alkaleri local government area of Bauchi state, Hon. Yusuf Garba and two other traditional rulers.

  The PS, Bauchi Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development disclosed that the state has ensured that there is maximum peace among the pasture and crop farmers despite granting accommodation to over 800,000 animals with yearly vaccination, adding that the state had the largest livestock market that can be harnessed to export of beef and milk within and outside the country.

She further said that the state is prepared with the FG to ensure that more intervention programs that will see the repositioning of the livestock in the state is accomplished,  promising that the state government would further work with the local government to ensure that more support is given to the livestock farmers towards an increase in milk and beef production, while other the aspect of livestock will also be exploited to enhance the value chain of the animal productivity to creating wealth and jobs for people in the state.

  Another traditional head, Kufa Ward Alkaleri local government area of Bauchi, Alhaji Muhammadu Gidado said they had been able to maintain a peaceful atmosphere despite the fact that 70% of grazing routes have been encroached by farmers adding they appreciated the involvement of the government to further ensure peace in the community.

Gidado lamented over the dirty water being drunk by the animals thereby making the animals fall sick regularly, adding that the illness is zoonotic and can be easily passed to human beings when care is not taken. He thereby pleaded for the government to provide quality water and education for the people.

The secretary Myetti Allah Cattle Rearers in the State, Mohammed Abba Kyai thanked the ministry on the supply of Napia grass being given to them, saying it has been very helpful in the area of feeding the livestock, added that the planting of the grass had helped to stop the moving around of the animals from one place to another looking for food to eat.

Kyai stressed the need for the government to wage into checkmating the amount of fresh milk being wasted daily due to lack of off-takers in the community stressed the need for an efficient transport system that would mitigate high stress the meat and the milk are being exposed to during transportation, just as he suggested the establishment of collection centers as an alternative to taking them to Kano to sell.

The chairman, Alkaleri Local government area of the state Hon. Yusuf Garba  explained that the state and local governments had thought of providing security, water, and necessary infrastructure that would make the pastoralists settle in a place with their cattle being reared with a modern practice to achieve more increased milk and beef productions, just as often conflicts between them and farmers are being averted for peaceful coexistence.   

    

In Gombe State, the district head of Akko local government, Ubandoma Akko told Food Farm News that the Fulanis in the Rardon Njobbo Gadao community purchased where they are now settled, and had lived peacefully for more than 50 years without quarrels, pointed that the people have been surviving on the government’s bole hole and the one provided by the head of Fulanis.

Akko called on the FG to assist in the provision of pasture, dam, veterinary/human clinic, school, road, more boreholes, and other necessary infrastructure that would help the community increase in their animals’ productivity to achieve President’s dream of surplus milk production to mitigate imports.

The Seriki Fulani, Wawa Zange Kabiru Abdullahi  at the Wawa Zange  grazing reserve of over one million cattle capacity in Gombe State expressed  satisfaction  with the level of work, FG has put in place for the use of  pastoralists, saying that the provision of hospitals, veterinary clinics,  milk collection center,  boreholes and the existing schools for nomadic education would help in settling for proactive animals' productivity in beef and milk.

Abdullahi assured FG that all structures put in place would be well maintained, saying that seven agro ranger guards had already been employed to secure the place by the Government with a plan to also employ more people as soon as all the structures are completed.

The Gombe State, Commissioner for Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Hon.  Muhammad Gettado Mogaji said that the government is determined to ensure peaceful coexistence between herders and farmers through the provision of inputs support to productivity, adding that the state is first in livestock production in the country.

Mogaji  stated that the state and FG are working towards transforming Wawa Zange grazing reserve to  keying into the vision of the National Livestock Transformation Programme  of the FG, while ensuring that cattle are settled in a place as infrastructure like a hospital, veterinary clinic, a milk collecting center, boreholes and modern abattoir to add with the exiting schools are provided to help in keeping herders in a place.

 Mr. Franlin Olonimoyo, Head, Animal Feed Livestock and also the Livestock Productivity & Resilience Support Project(L-Pres) desk officer in the FMARD said that President Buhari has given a matching order that would ensure accelerated milk production in the country, saying this has been responsible for the livestock intervention and sensitization program of the FG through the FMARD.

Olonimoyo  while listing the expected support for the pastoralists said that the FG is determined to ensure excess milk production to mitigate import as demanded by the President, adding that the government will provide all year round feed, build big warehouses, hay and silage at a subsidize rate, and even encourage artificial insemination to put an end to roaming of animals to about.