FG inaugurates c’ttee to establish more grazing reserves

The Federal Government at the weekend inaugurated a technical committee to establish more grazing reserves across the country.
The committee is expected to work out modalities for establishing the additional grazing reserves to forestall future clashes between herdsmen and farmers.

It also mandated the committee to produce a report on how to address the challenges within two weeks.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr.AkinwumiAdesina, who formally inaugurated the committee at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja, said the committee was made up of representatives from the Federal Ministries of Environment, Works, Science and Technology, Interior, and Water Resources.

Other representatives include officials from the National Orientation Agency, International Institute of Livestock Agency and commissioners of agriculture from the affected states, amongst others.

Adesina said there was need for additional reserves as rising urbanisation had encroached into most of the grazing lands in Nigeria.
He observed that livestock farmers were increasing the pressure on grazing reserves, adding that herdsmen from Chad and Niger often migrate into Nigeria to deplete the already limited grazing sites.

Adesina said: “Another challenge we face with respect to our grazing reserves is the issue of climate change. Herdsmen, as a result of climatic changes, are forced to move down south with their cattle.

“And in addressing these challenges, there are short, medium and long term solutions. This committee will look at all of them and given the urgency of the matter, the committee does not have more than two weeks to come out with its report.”

Adesina stated that 415 grazing reserves were Nigeria while 141 of the sites had been gazetted, and also stressed that those additional grazing reserves would help curtail the ugly clashes between herdsmen and farmers in most states of the north.

In earlier remarks, the Minister of Environment, Mrs.LaurentiaMallam, said the setting up of the technical committee was approved by the Vice President, Arc. NamadiSambo, three weeks ago to look into the issue.