The appointment of a Presidential Committee to overhaul the nation’s livestock business and find long-term solutions to the country’s recurrent conflicts between farmers and herders has been approved by President Bola Tinubu.
This was revealed in a statement on Thursday by Ajuri Ngelale, the President’s special adviser on media and publicity.
After the National Conference on Livestock Reforms and Mitigation of Associated Conflicts in Nigeria submitted its report, the Committee was formed.
Former Executive Governor of Kano State and Chairman of the All Progressives’ Congress (APC), Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, called the conference.
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security would work with the Committee, according to the President, to develop proposals to promote harmonious coexistence between herders and farmers while preserving the safety and economic well-being of all Nigerians.
“The Federal Government is ready and willing to pay for the cost of the land. As new educational options for herders’ and their children emerge, these opportunities will give our veterinarians gainful employment while creating doors for the private sector. A medical infrastructure will be built. 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 said, “These things are feasible before us.
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’s members for their rigorous effort in researching the intricate issues pertaining to security, land usage, and livestock management.
“If you look carefully, you will 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 challenging to abandon their conventional, old 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, alluding to the committee report that contained a number 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 firmly believe that the report that was presented here today has 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.
According to him, putting the suggestions into action will increase output, improve livelihoods, advance environmental preservation, address the root causes of conflicts between farmers and pastoralists, and lower the cost of importing animal goods like milk and beef.
