Farmers/pastoralists conflicts: FG to grow grasses to feed cattle

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, said on Thursday that the Federal Government would embark on planting of grasses to feed cattle to stem farmers/pastoralists crisis in the country.
Ogbeh stated this at a meeting with the Surveyor-General of the Nigerian Institute of Surveyors in Abuja.
The minister said the conflict between crop farmers and pastoralists had continued to grow with heavy casualties of deaths, displaced people and destruction of property.
He said by 2050, the world would have a population between nine to 10 billion persons, of which 75 per cent would be living in the cities and 25 per cent in the rural areas.
According to him, Nigeria’s population at that time will be close to 500 million, adding: “Therefore, time is no longer on our side.”
Ogbeh said the country has to start thinking how to produce enough milk, rice, cassava, wheat among others, which are currently being imported, to feed 500 million people by 2050.
He said: “We need to plan for that time now and that period and one of the most serious problems facing us is the farmers and pastoralists.
“We need to feed the cattle so they can feed us with milk and meat.
“This conflict has to be resolved once and for all, having looked at what has been going on, we need to take a more radical step.
“Restoring the old gazing reserves will not be very feasible any more.
“The state governments do not want grazing reserves anymore.
“They are complaining of their experience with herdsmen
“Some reserves have been encroached upon and we do not have the money to relocate people.
“Therefore, we are taking a more radical approach and we are beginning now.
“We are going to grow grasses to feed cattle and your job is to help us map out areas.
“Let us know where grass growing will be feasible.”
In his remarks, the Surveyor-General of the Nigerian Institute of Surveyors, Barde Jatau, said they were ready to support the ministry achieve the objective.
Jatau said when the mapping is done and grasses grown, it would transform into increase food production, available raw materials for industries and more jobs for the youths.
NAN.