By Ibrahim Ahmadu
The Presidential Committee on Implementation of Livestock Reforms proposed that a combination of ranching and open grazing could be the most viable solution to the farmer-herder crisis in Nigeria.
The Chairman of the committee, Prof. Attahiru Jega, made this known on Thursday, after the 23-member committee submitted a report to President Bola Tinubu on Thursday in Abuja.
Briefing State House correspondents, Jega said the committee, which was inaugurated on July 9, had been able to produce an inception report, which he said contained wide ranging recommendations on the transformation of the livestock sector.
“The committee recommended that open grazing and ranching would coexist until enough awareness and adequate infrastructure were created for full adoption of ranching.
“We’ve also made recommendations in terms of how some of these challenges can be addressed,” he said.
He said the President had given his committee full support and encouragement to also drive the process of the implementation of the recommendations of the committee with the new ministry driving the process.
The professor also said the committee provided detailed guidelines on the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development.
He emphasised the need for focused implementation of the recommendations and periodic review to see where there would be need for repositioning or strengthening of the focus and effort in the actualisation of the recommendations.
“We believe that our recommendations are quite comprehensive, and if we can meticulously implement them, no doubt, very soon, we will begin to see its positive impact on our economy.
“Whether it is in terms of job creation or in terms of development of products and services, or even opening up opportunities for exports,” he said.
He said the report specifically contained recommendations on how to develop the value chain of the livestock sector to tap its potential to enhance economic growth and development.
He added that the recommendations included how to create jobs, and also ensure not only food, feed and nutrition security, but also begin to export many of the products associated with the sector.
“We believe that there has been a neglect of this sector for a very long time.
“And we are happy that Mr. President has recognised the need to redress this neglect, and has invited us to contribute to finding ways and the means of unlocking the opportunities in this sector.
“So, I’m very pleased to say that today, we presented an inception report to Mr. President. And it is a document of about 152 pages divided into five sectors,” said Jega.
He said in the report, the committee addressed 12 terms of reference, and developed 22 objectives of what the reform effort in the livestock sector should entail.
“We’ve been able to make specific recommendations on each of these areas.
“In addition to that, we were also able to identify achievable targeted indicators, about 3,146 of them.
“We believe that by pursuing these and actualising them, there is no doubt that within a reasonable time frame, a maximum period of 10 years, we would see remarkable improvements in virtually all aspects of the livestock sector,” Jega said.
He said the recommendations of the committee included mitigation of the perennial conflicts associated with activities of pastoralists and the nomadic herders.
