Tuesday Live: Agric Scholar seeks accurate headcount of livestock
Chima Azubuike, Gombe
Prof. Babagana Gambo, Dean faculty of Agriculture, Yobe State University has urged government to carry out comprehensive data review of livestock in the country.
He lamented the challenge of not standardizing statistics, adding that it would aid coordination thereby yielding solutions.
Gambo made this disclosure on NTA flagship programme Tuesday Live, while analysing the topic: perspective on reviving grazing and forest reserves, monitored by our correspondent.
“There is need for a comprehensive data review. We undertook a peer review of all the 36 states. We were at Gombe and the governor then told us Gombe has the highest concentration of livestock in Nigeria.
“From Gombe we went to Bauchi and I remember it was governor Isah Yuguda; he told us Bauchi State has the highest concentration of livestock in Nigeria. We came towards Yobe and I remember Dr. Ibrahim Geidam and he told us the largest concentration of livestock is in Yobe State. This discrepancy has to be addressed.
“Most importantly, those people that are moving it is something that is genetically connected and it is part of their Socio-cultural livelihood. So there has to be a massive campaign, movement is part of their lives. The nomards must be put into consideration, if they are ready to settle down, if they agree to settle down then the need for grazing routes to be modified. So there is a need for massive sensitization.”
He added, “During the peer review one of the things that we noticed that there was lack of synergy between Federal Ministry of Agriculture and the state government.”
Meanwhile, Executive Secretary Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria, Prof. Garba Sharubutu, called for social integration.
He said, “Let nobody be under the deception that grazing reserves alone will do the magic. Let nobody think that the issue of nomenclature is going to do the magic whether you call it ranching, ruga, or you call it colony or whatever these are not solutions to the problem.”
