The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development has unveiled strategies to address the farmers-herders conflict in the country.The Minister, Idi Maiha, unveiled the strategies, yesterday, in Abuja at a two-day workshop organised by the ministry to bring in key stakeholders to discuss actionable solutions to sustainable livestock development in the country.
 
He said the ministry would focus on developing grazing reserves and improving cattle routes to prevent conflicts between herders and farmers and explore infrastructure such as dams for pasture regeneration and cattle watering.   
 
Maiha disclosed that the ministry would also create a “situation room” to monitor cattle movement across the country in real-time, saying the system would utilise drones and other technologies to gather data from flashpoints to enhance quick intervention to reduce farmer-herder conflicts.
 
“This ministry was established by President Bola Tinubu to address the yearnings of Nigerians for tangible progress in the livestock sector. With our collective efforts, we must put an end to the lamentations of the past and deliver visible results”.

Nigerians deserve an affordable and increased supply of beef, dairy, poultry and other livestock products. We cannot afford to fail,” he said.  He stated that the meeting aimed to gather ideas to address critical issues such as animal health, breeding and livestock entrepreneurship.
 
The minister further outlined plans to engage stakeholders across the academia, private sector, and donor organisations while using technology and modern practices to improve the sector. 
 
A livestock producer, Mohammed Tukur, commended Tinubu for establishing the ministry, and his recent visit to Brazil to foster partnerships in the livestock industry.The minister further revealed that the ministry was working on a robust branding strategy to raise awareness about its mandate and opportunities in the sector.