AFAN in Niger supports gpvernment’s plan to establish cattle ranches

All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Niger has said  that the association was in support of the Federal Government’s plan to establish cattle ranches across the country to end herdsmen/farmers clashes.
Alhaji Shehu Galadima, the Chairman, Niger chapter of the association, made this known in an interview with the News men in Minna.
“AFAN in Niger State is fully in support of the Federal Government’s idea of establishing ranches or grazing reserves across the country to stop clashes between farmers and herdsmen.
“We should bear in mind that these clashes have led to the loss of lives, property, livestock and farms that cannot be quantified in terms of money.
“Before now, herdsmen and farmers were great friends because on both sides, some of them are into mixed farming, thereby cultivating crops and rearing livestock.’’
Galadima said that the growing population and urbanisation had encroached on cattle routes and grazing reserves across the country, resulting in the clashes.
According to him, some of these routes and grazing reserves were gazetted as far back as the First Republic.
The chairman advised the government to equip the existing reserves and the intended ones with modern facilities to make them functional and acceptable to herdsmen.
He listed some of the facilities required as veterinary clinic, clinic for herdsmen, water, cottage industry for animal feed and milk industry, among others.
The Federal Government said recently that it would establish cattle ranches at the cost of N179 billion in 10 states.
The states include Adamawa, Benue, Edo, Ebonyi, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Oyo, Plateau, Taraba and Zamfara

Arinze A/NAN