Farmers/Herders Clashes:NSGF Chairman blames encroachment of Cattle routes, others as cause
…. Census to solve the challenges
By Chima Azubuike
Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, has said that encroachment of grazing and forest reserves, as well as cattle routes are the reasons behind the herders and farmers clashes.
According to the governor, it has caused criminal activities, impeding development in the region, adding that there would be census to ensure the security challenges are mitigated.
Yahaya who is Chairman of Northern States Governors’ Forum, made this disclosure on Monday during the commencement of distribution of fertiliser sales pegged at N19,000.
He said, “The major issue bedeviling all agrarian states is farmers/herders clash. There is no care at all expended by officials especially the traditional leadership as a result of which all our grazing reserve, Cattle route and forest reserve have been encroached. We will take census to make sure we make them up so that we avoid farmers, herders clash because it leads to rustling and banditry that is taking place in Plateau, Niger especially in Zamfara State.”
While urging for collaboration towards putting an end to the myriads of challenges, Yahaya added, “the traditional leadership and the director and staff of ministry of Agriculture to abide by the rules and protect our grazing reserve. We shall take census to mitigate the loses and future occurrences.”
Yahaya added, “Farmer-herder conflicts continue to threaten the livelihoods and security of our farming and herding communities. Such conflicts set our people against each other, tear decades-old societal fabrics, and leads to decline in crop and animal production, with attendant consequences on food security and local economy.
“Our government is committed towards mitigating farmer-herder conflicts through the setting up of conflict prevention and dispute resolution committees in our communities. So far, those committees have recorded tremendous success in bringing harmonious and peaceful co-existence between herders and farmers.”
