***Begins ranching pilot in Plateau, plans rehabilitation of 417 grazing reserves
***Engages 34 pastoral groups, says open cattle movement no longer sustainable

The Federal Government has identified six major farmers-herders conflict hotspots for priority intervention as part of a renewed push to end recurring clashes and transform Nigeria’s livestock sector through modern ranching.

The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, disclosed this on Tuesday after briefing President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja, on the activities of the ministry and progress in implementing the National Ranching Policy.

Maiha listed Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Adamawa states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as priority areas for the intervention because of their history of farmers-herders conflicts.

He said the Federal Government had identified 417 grazing reserves across the country and commenced a pilot ranching scheme in Plateau State as a proof of concept for a new livestock production model aimed at reducing cattle movement and tackling a major trigger of rural conflicts.

The minister said the government was also intensifying consultations with pastoral communities, having engaged about 34 pastoral organisations to secure their buy-in for the transition from open grazing and nomadic livestock production to ranching.

According to him, the ministry recently held consultations with pastoralists under the leadership of the Grand Patron of Miyetti Allah and the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, with another round of engagement expected within the next two weeks.

Maiha said the government’s assessment showed that the traditional practice of moving large herds across the country had become increasingly unsustainable because grazing routes had disappeared amid the expansion of farms, rapid urbanisation and increasing demand for land for infrastructure.

“Large number of cattle on the move is crisis-prone because, number one, the grazing routes have disappeared. Farms, large farms have come up, aggressive urbanisation, demand for land for infrastructure development, so many other things have made nomadism not sustainable,” Maiha said.

He explained that nomadism had historically provided a means of moving livestock from areas where feed and water were scarce to locations where such resources were available.

The minister, however, argued that providing feed and water within designated livestock settlements would eliminate the need for continuous movement of cattle.

“Why don’t you provide these resources in situ and stop these animals from moving? Human beings can move; they don’t cause crisis. It’s the animals’ movement that normally generates this crisis,” he said.

Maiha said the government was therefore promoting commercial pasture cultivation, with grass to be grown around livestock settlements or harvested elsewhere and transported to ranches.

Maiha added that breed improvement would enable pastoralists to keep fewer but more productive animals, thereby reducing pressure on land while increasing milk and meat production.

The minister said the proposed ranching model would go beyond merely confining cattle to designated areas, explaining that the government planned to transform grazing reserves into integrated economic communities with housing, veterinary clinics, primary schools, healthcare facilities, solar power and earth dams for pasture irrigation.

Maiha said properly developed reserves would also create economic opportunities capable of attracting investors in milk processing, modular abattoirs, biodigesters and other segments of the livestock value chain.

“At the end of the day, each of those grazing reserves will become an economic hub. Imagine what you are going to have if you have 30,000 head of cattle in one area. The milk collection alone will attract milk processors.

“They will attract modular abattoirs. They will attract biodigesters. They will attract so many things that will come there. That is our concept, and that’s what we have been selling to them,” he said.

Maiha said consultations with pastoral communities had so far not generated significant resistance, noting that many pastoralists were beginning to recognise the limitations of the traditional nomadic system.

“So far, we have not seen resistance from anybody because the reality on the ground is that nomadism, as it were, is no longer sustainable, and we need a different concept,” he said.

As part of the broader strategy, the minister said the government was introducing radio-frequency identification technology for livestock, with four-legged animals to be fitted with ear tags for identification, geolocation and proof of ownership.

Maiha said the system would support the creation of a national livestock database and make it easier to trace animals that stray or are stolen through cattle rustling.

Maiha described the initiative as part of the Federal Government’s non-kinetic approach to stabilising rural communities and reducing farmers-herders conflicts.

Beyond ranching, he said the ministry was pursuing a wider livestock development agenda covering modern abattoirs, dairy production, commercial fodder cultivation, veterinary services, vaccine storage infrastructure and poultry production.

He disclosed that at least seven model veterinary clinics had been constructed, while the long-term objective was to establish a model veterinary hospital in every state and extend veterinary clinics to underserved communities.

The Federal Government, he added, was developing off-grid cold-chain vaccine storage facilities across the country to ensure that animal vaccines could be transported and preserved at the required temperatures.

Maiha also said the government was encouraging investment in modern abattoirs to replace open slaughter facilities, which he described as inadequate from a public health standpoint.

He disclosed that discussions were ongoing with local investors and development partners on large-scale dairy projects, while commercial fodder cultivation was being promoted for both domestic consumption and export.

On poultry production, the minister said the government was considering the large-scale importation of hatchable eggs to stabilise the industry and reduce the waiting period for local producers to obtain day-old chicks.

Maiha said Tuesday’s briefing was used to update President Tinubu on the ministry’s activities since its creation in July 2024, in line with the administration’s decision to mainstream livestock into the national economy.

He said the ministry was established to modernise the sector and make it sustainable, profitable and globally competitive.

According to him, about 20 states have since established ministries or agencies dedicated to livestock development, creating a stronger framework for collaboration between the Federal Government and the states.

He noted that the development was particularly significant because land and much of Nigeria’s livestock resources fall within the jurisdiction of the states.

The minister said President Tinubu expressed strong support for the ministry’s programmes and demonstrated detailed knowledge of developments in the livestock sector during the briefing.

He quoted the President as saying, “the value chains in the livestock sector are fantastic,” while urging Nigerians to take advantage of the opportunities across the industry.

“The President has been very supportive, and we are very grateful for that political support and for the understanding we are getting from Mr President.

“For us, actually, we need not ask for more, but to go back and deliver,” Maiha said.