In a move to address the farmer-herder conflict and also boost food production, several northern states have adopted the National Livestock Transformation Plan popularly known as the Rural Grazing Area initiative.
So far, Borno, Yobe, Zamfara, Bauchi, Nasarawa and others have mapped out large swathes of land for the RUGA take-off.
The programme is expected to complement the Federal Government’s livestock production plans undergirded by the newly created Ministry of Livestock by the Bola Tinubu administration.
While Borno State has settled 461 herder families under its RUGA initiative, Plateau and Benue, however, ruled out involvement in the scheme.
The Borno government inaugurated the Ngarannam Livestock Improvement and Ranch Settlement in Mafa LGA of the state designed to enhance livestock farming through the provision of infrastructure, improved grazing conditions, animal health services, and modern ranching practices.
The settlement is equipped with veterinary clinics, sustainable water supply systems, breeding centres, dairy and beef upgrading centres, and milk collection hubs.
To drive livestock production in Yobe State, Governor Mai Mala Buni has established the Ministry of Livestock Development.
According to Dr. Musa Abba Kolere, the newly appointed Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Livestock Development, the new ministry would boost livestock development in the state and region.
He said, “This will enhance the socioeconomic potential of the rearing community, promoting growth and development in the livestock subsector. Yobe State is the highest producer of livestock in Nigeria, including cattle, goats, sheep, and poultry.
‘’The establishment of the Ministry of Livestock Development is expected to improve revenue generation in the state. Moreover, the ministry aims to provide equal rights to both farmers and herders, potentially resolving the lingering farmer-herder crises.’’
Kolere said Buni’s decision to establish cattle ranches would improve livestock breeds, and promote peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders- a significant step towards maximizing the value chain in livestock development.
The permanent secretary said the establishment of the Jakusko-nazari cattle ranch is expected to address clashes between pastoralists and farmers while generating revenue for the state.
“This joint project, funded by the Yobe State government and supported by the Federal Government, will also open up opportunities for public-private partnerships,” he noted.
Toeing a similar path, the Zamfara state government explained that it started the construction of RUGA settlements in the three senatorial zones in the state.
The scheme was initiated by former Governor Bello Mattawalle.
The spokesperson for Governor Dauda Lawal, Sulaiman Idris said the state was ready to establish RUGA settlements.
Idris said the governor had visited the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, where he said the state was ready to collaborate with the Federal Government on RUGA.
He said, “My governor was in Abuja last week where he paid a visit to the Minister for Livestock Development. The governor assured the minister that the state has land and is ready to establish RUGA for the benefit of the people of the state and the country in general.”
Also, the Bauchi State government affirmed its readiness to set up RUGA settlements which would be handled by the newly established Ministry of Livestock Development.
The Special Adviser to the Bauchi State Governor on Media and Publicity, Mukhtar Gidado, said, “It is the reason the Bauchi State governor established the ministry of livestock development equipped with professionals in the field. RUGA and the cattle ranching will all be taken care of by the ministry.”
He emphasised that Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, is ever ready to complement the effort of the federal government on livestock development.
In Gombe, the Wawa Zange grazing reserve occupying about 146,000 hectares, has been earmarked for ranching in the state.
An official, who pleaded anonymity, disclosed that the grazing reserve will house six hospitals, six veterinary clinics, a milk collection centre, 16 boreholes and a modern abattoir in addition to the existing school for nomadic education.
However, the Benue and Plateau States may not be considering the RUGA scheme.
Instead, the Plateau government said it is working closely with the Federal Government to develop an agricultural policy that benefits all farming communities in the state.
In a phone interview on Monday, the Special Adviser to the Plateau State Governor on Policy and Governance, Yiljap Abraham, emphasized that the state’s approach to agricultural development is inclusive and not targeted at any particular ethnic group.
“We are not implementing RUGA in Plateau State. Our focus is on creating an agricultural policy that benefits all farmers, regardless of their background,” Abraham explained.
He said the decision aligns with the state government’s commitment to promoting peace, security, and good governance, as outlined in the Plateau State Development Strategy.
“The government’s priority is to ensure that all citizens, including farmers, have access to resources and opportunities that promote their well-being and economic development,” he added.
The Benue State Commissioner for Information, Mathew Abo, said the RUGA has to be discussed by the State Executive Council first.
On its part, the Kogi State government said that a decision on the adoption of RUGA would be made by the Ministry of Livestock Development.
“We have to wait for the ministry to formally take off before we can ask if there would be a need for RUGA settlement in the state” said the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the governor, Ismail lsah.
He noted, “Kogi State has recently established the Ministry of Livestock Development and we have to wait to see what the full ramifications of the responsibilities of the ministry would be. For now, I have no comment on RUGA or no RUGA”
However, the state Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Timothy Ojomah, said the ministry of livestock development has just been established and that agricultural policies are currently being developed, adding, “For now, we have not established RUGA.”
The situation is different in Kebbi State where the government said the scheme would soon take off.
The governor’s spokesman, Alhaji Ahmed Idris, stated, “In fact, very soon, we are going to implement our own. Recently, the government entered an agreement with Indonesia as regards that programme.”
Meanwhile, the Nasarawa State government said it has provided 22,000 hectares of land in the Awe Local Government Area of the state for the smooth take-off of the model ranching hub project under the National Livestock Transformation Plan.
Governor, Abdullahi Sule stated this during a recent visit to political and religious leaders in the area.
He explained that the state keyed into the initiative of the Federal Government to address the security problems associated with open grazing.
The governor also said that the programme would go a long way towards addressing the lingering crisis in Nasarawa and Benue States boundary.
He, therefore, called on the Federal Government not to relent but to ensure that the programme is inaugurated in all the states that have registered for the NLTP programme.
He further appealed to other states to do so in the overall interest of the country.
Speaking on behalf of the herders, the Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria in the state, Bala Dabo, expressed gratitude to the state government for supporting the project.
He said that the initiative would greatly benefit his tribesmen and tackle the issue of insecurity which had been a burden to his people and other citizens of the country.
On his part, the state Coordinator of the NLTP, Dr. Abdullahi Musa, said the programme would enhance peace between farmers and herders.
“The aim of the NLTP is to ensure that both the farmers and herders take care of their animals, and farming in a way that the use of land is maximized. It is also to reduce the contact between farmers and herders,” he noted.
The Coordinator of the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project, Kwara State, Mr Soji Oyawoye, said the state is combining the ranch system with open grazing.
Speaking on Monday, the project coordinator disclosed that the government has started digging boreholes across the 16 council areas of the state to provide water for cattle.
“Kwara State is working on the adoption of combining the ranch system with the open grazing system. While the government is installing machines for feed preparation at the L-Press office where animal feeds will be prepared, it is also encouraging pastoral farmers by providing boreholes to supply water for the cows in the forest.
“The government has dug many boreholes in Fulani settlements in the local government areas including Asa, Moro, Ifelodun, Irepodun and other councils for the provision of water for the cattle in the forest.
‘’We are encouraging the Fulani to cluster their animals in specific locations to prevent animals from spoiling crops while grazing on the farms,” Oyawoye said.
Sources in Kano said the state government has invested in setting up RUGA settlements.
The project was said to have been inaugurated by former governor Abdullahi Ganduje who constituted a 13-member Rural Grazing Area Committee.
Infrastructure to be provided in the RUGA settlements include clinics, schools, water supply and markets, among others.
The project will be jointly financed by the state government and the Islamic Development Bank.
A source said Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf may revive the committee given the importance of the RUGA project to the state and the herders.
The Commissioner of Information, Ibrahim Waiya, could not be reached for an update on the project.
