President Tinubu Sets Presidential Committee to Address Herder-Farmer Conflicts and Promote Livestock and Dairy Industries
President Bola Tinubu has given his approval for the establishment of a Presidential Committee that would be devoted to the reform of the livestock industry and the supply of long-term solutions to repeated disputes between herders and farmers in the country.
Following the delivery of a report from the National Conference on Livestock Reforms and Mitigation of Associated Conflicts in Nigeria, the President of Nigeria made an announcement on Thursday in Abuja regarding the establishment of the Committee.
Dr. Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, who had previously served as Executive Governor of Kano State and is currently the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was the one who organized the Conference.
The President elaborated that it is anticipated that the Committee will work in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to develop suggestions with the goal of promoting a peaceful co-existence between herders and farmers and safeguarding the safety and economic prosperity of all Nigerians.
“The Federal Government is completely prepared to fund the expense of acquiring the land,” said the official. The provision of new educational chances for herders and their children will develop as a result of these opportunities, and these opportunities will provide gainful employment for our veterinary professionals while also opening doors for the private sector. There will be the establishment of medical facilities. We have the chance to completely transform our lives right now.
Imagine for a moment that we were able to produce enough milk for our students. Imagine for a moment that we were able to sell more cheese and yoghurt abroad. Imagine for a moment that we had a huge leather manufacturing sector in Nigeria and that we were producing skin on a massive scale. Imagine for a moment supposing we were able to offer employment and cold storage facilities all around the country. The President made the statement that all of these possibilities exist there in front of us.
President Tinubu praised Vice President Ganduje for bringing together the brightest minds and most knowledgeable professionals in order to find answers to the enduring problems that have existed between pastoralists and farmers.
In addition, he lauded the members of the committee for the meticulous job they had done in evaluating the complicated issues connected to the management of cattle, the utilization of land, and safety.
If you look carefully, you can find a silver lining in even the darkest of circumstances. Since a long time ago, we have been involved in this conflict. We are aware that it is a problem that originated here. People have an extremely difficult time breaking away from their customs and antiquated practices.
“In 2018, I worked hard to find a solution to this issue; yet, it remained elusive throughout the year. But people have told me that I should never give up, and today I believe that the answer is right in front of us,” the President said, referring to the report of the committee, which includes a number of different suggestions.
“The continued existence of this situation is not due to the actions of herders or farmers,” the author writes. It is the fault of the leadership, who were not successful in finding rapid solutions to the difficulties that they were facing. “He told me that leadership is a combination of thinking and acting.”
In his remarks, Ganduje recalled that during his tenure as Governor of Kano State, he had hosted the National Conference as part of a deliberate effort to promote the modernization of livestock production while strengthening the capacity of local authorities to manage relationships and amicably resolve conflicts between herders and farmers.
During the eight years that he served as governor of Kano, he stated that the state had maintained its status as one of the most peaceful in the nation.
“Mr. President, I am confident that the report that was presented to this body earlier today contains the solution to the issues that have been plaguing the livestock business. It discusses the key reforms that are required, and it gives several development choices that are necessary for the sector’s continued growth and sustainability.
The Convener made the following observation: “The implementation of the suggestions will help in reducing the cost of imports for animal products like milk and beef.” “The execution of the ideas will raise productivity, improve livelihoods, promote environmental conservation, address substantial sources of conflicts between farmers and pastoralists,” the Convener said.
