The
2017 budget does not seem to provide the solutions to the incessant
clashes between farmers and herdsmen, indicating that the government is
probably paying lip service to its plan for food sufficiency. Damilola Oyedele writes
One
of the biggest security challenges Nigeria has been grappling with in
recent times is the incessant clashes between farmers and herdsmen. A
long term effect, aside the increasing number of deaths, destruction of
farmlands and properties, sometimes of entire villages in reprisal
attacks, is the threat to food security.
Several
states of the federation have been experiencing continuous attacks,
particularly Benue, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Taraba and there have also been
pockets of reported clashes in Ekiti, Ondo, Delta, Abia and others in
the South. According to reports, at least 1, 269 persons were killed by
the rampaging herdsmen in Benue State alone, between April 2013 and July
2016. On February 29, 2016, the herdsmen, armed with guns, allegedly
attacked several Agatu villages, murdering about 500 villagers, and
displacing several thousands.
Southern
Kaduna has been in the news for a while now due to recurring clashes
between both farmers and the herdsmen, with hundreds losing their lives,
and property worth millions destroyed. About 800 persons, including
women and children, have allegedly died in the Southern Kaduna crises in
recent months.
Fulani
herdsmen have also been under attack, with reprisal killings on them,
and killing of their cattle, which is their source of livelihood. For
instance, in both Kaduna and Benue, Fulani leaders have accused local
communities of killing their cattle, and attacking their people.
Major causes
The
major causes of the clash is the need by the herdsmen to feed and water
their cattle, and because of the effects of climate change, and the
activities of Boko Haram in the North-east, the herders have to move
Southwards. As climate change caused more desertification in Northern
Nigeria, and watering grounds disappearing with 95 per cent of Lake Chad
drying up, nomads were forced to move Southwards to find foliage and
water for the cattle.
According
to the Governance Advancement Initiative for Nigeria (GAIN), about 15
per cent of land in the North-east became a no-go area for the nomads
due to activities of Boko Haram.
Unfortunately,
farmlands in the South were the casualties of the movement of the
cattle, as the manner of indiscriminate movement, has led to the
destruction of whole farmlands, sometimes, close to harvest, and
pollution of waters with cattle faeces. The development has given rise
to the constant clashes between the herdsmen and farmers.
Ranching Vs grazing argument
Several
experts and stakeholders have since proffered solutions to the crises,
with the major arguments bordering around ranching versus creation of
grazing routes. Ranching is being suggested as the most viable option to
check indiscriminate grazing of cattle. They argue that to create
grazing routes, which some sections of the society have advocated for,
would cause fresh clashes over land ownership. Proponents of ranching
argue that the method is adopted by developed countries involved in
animal husbandry, and would address the problems of foliage and water
for cattle, in addition to ensuring basic necessities and infrastructure
required by herdsmen.
The
proponents of grazing however argue that Nigeria used to have grazing
routes in the pre-independence era, and this can be recreated to ensure
adequate sustenance for the cattle. This would be done by appropriation
and preservation of land in different parts of the country, and
establishment of a national grazing reserve commission.
Recently,
Taraba State Governor, Mr. Darius Ishaku, and his Benue counterpart,
Mr. Samuel Ortom, at a meeting to solve the constant communal clashes
along their joint borders, advocated that ranching be embraced to solve
the clashes.
“The
trend all over the world is ranching. Moving cattle from one place to
another is not encouraged all over the world. We will agree with one
another to give land for ranching and I am already discussing with the
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to get about eight special
grasses to be planted at Mambilla. Machines would cut the grasses when
they are matured and they will be put in bales to sell to ranches. It
makes cattle grow faster, bigger and healthier. It would be another
source of revenue for Taraba,” Ishaku said.
Ortom, who has long been an advocate of ranching said grazing routes are no longer feasible due to population explosion.
“We
must understand that ranching cannot be done overnight. We are setting
up machinery to collaborate with the federal government to establish
ranches. We must support the herdsmen to establish ranches so that we
can have lasting peace in our country because the land is no longer
there,” he said at the meeting.
The 2017 budget
Despite
the arguments, the 2017 budget with its proposal of N82 billion to the
agricultural sector, does not make any provision for ranching
development, while the sum of N1.4 billion was proposed for the
establishment of the National Grazing Reserves Development Commission.
The
Chairman of the House Committee on Agricultural Services, Hon. Mohammed
Tahir Monguno, in an interview with THISDAY, noted that the 1.7 per
cent allocation to the sector is an improvement in recent years, even
though it falls short of the minimum 10 per cent requirement by the
Maputo Declaration for all African countries.
He also emphasised that ranching remains a major solution to the constant clashes apart from the proposed grazing reserves.
“When we
say ranching, you have veterinary facilities there, the grasses, and
conducive atmosphere for fattening and better quantity of milk
production. It is not in the budget, but we can, as National Assembly,
use our powers of appropriation to allocate money for it, because it is
very important. It is an important means of averting the clashes,” he
said.
Monguno
also noted that the transportation of live cattle to distant places
affects the quality of the meat and milk production of the cattle, and
called for investment in cold store haulage of cattle and its products.
He
further disclosed to THISDAY, that the planned importation of special
grass from Brazil was discouraged to allow the National Animal
Production and Research Institute, which has the mandate for development
for local pasture, develop grass species that can withstand local
climate.
In
the same vein, Hon. Dickson Tarkgihir who is the sponsor of the
Ranching Bill, said animals cannot be allowed to roam around in the name
of grazing.
“Cattle
rearing is a business, it is done in other climes, developed countries
do not leave animals to roam around in the name of grazing. The cattle
owner is doing business just like the farmer. People who are interested
in ranching should acquire lands, and rear their cattle safely, so that
the person who wants to farm, can also have access to his land
unhindered, and do his farming,” he said.
The
lawmaker from Benue, one of the states mostly affected by the conflict
said farmlands are assets, particularly for agrarian Nigerians, which
should be protected if the government is serious about economic
diversification and food sufficiency.
“Agriculture
remains the easiest way to diversify and make profit almost
immediately, especially when farmers are given certain inputs. For solid
minerals, you need to make massive investments in infrastructure,
before you make gains,” he added.
Echoing
Governor Ortom, Tarkgihir said to force citizens to surrender their
lands, would result in fresh crises, adding that grazing is an outdated
model towards cattle rearing.
Speaking
on the lack of provision for ranching in the 2017 budget, the lawmaker
disclosed that he is already in talks with the leadership of the
National Assembly to invite the Minister of Agriculture and Rural
Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, on the matter. “To be invited before the
budget is passed, to explain what solutions his ministry is working on
to resolve the clashes. If it comes to it, the National Assembly can
make provisions, if it requires funding for that particular item,” he
told THISDAY.
On
his part, Chairman of the House Committee on Climate Change, Hon. Sam
Onuigbo, representing Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal
Constituency, in an
exclusive interview he granted THISDAY in Lagos, noted that it was time
to focus on the impact of climate change which he attributed to the
constant herdsmen/farmers clashes across the country.
“We
have a responsibility as a nation to act fast to arrest this
situation,” he said. “Today, we have come to some kind of agreement that
we must be proactive in containing the negative effects of climate
change, and where possible, go ahead to take advantage of the
opportunities that abound.
“That
is why we came up with the National Policy on Climate Change which is
to guide the different sectors affected by climate change, so that each
sector is able to prepare to face the impending threats and, where
possible, to benefit from the problems. For example, if we want to grow a
green economy, we will have to invest in solar and hydro energy.
“We
encourage each sector to do a sectoral variability assessment, for each
sector to know how variable they are. When they do this, they have a
scientific basis for taking action, for moving ahead. But if this is not
done, we continue to move in the dark. That’s why we encourage
different sectors to do this and get prepared.”
Conclusion
It
is clear that if the clashes are not addressed, whatever efforts the
country makes at attaining food sufficiency, would come to naught.
@ THISDAYLIVE
No comments:
Post a Comment