Livestock Minister says cattle destroy only crops on their routes

 

The Minister of Livestock Ministry, Alhaji Idi Maiha has said many farmers who had suffered crops being destroyed are those who planted along cattle routes, urged Nigerians to exercise a better approach to understanding causes of conflict between farmers/ herders.

Alhaji Maiha pointed out that crops planted along road sides and designated cattle routes have become vulnerable to cattle' destruction thereby calling on farmers against cultivations on highways and grazing corridors to avoid losses.

The Minister said that " Today people cultivate up to the road shoulder and even to the middle of the road. How do you expect animals to pass? We must all act responsibly"

Maiha identified two reasons why crops were being destroyed saying that one was intentional while the other wasn't.

According to him " Two main types of crops damage caused by livestock. One is not willful- it happens when herders cannot control large numbers of cattle and the animals stray into nearby farms. The other is deliberate - when herders knowingly drive cattle into farmlands for grazing. The first is accidental, but the second is criminal, and we classify it as such"