The Federal Government has intensified efforts to reform Nigeria’s livestock sector with the implementation of the National Ranching Policy, as Adamawa State formally aligned with the initiative to curb recurring farmer–herder conflicts and unlock economic opportunities in livestock production.
The commitment was reaffirmed during an interactive session between the Minister of Livestock Development, Alhaji Idi Mukhtar Maiha, and directors of the Adamawa State Ministry of Livestock Development and Aquaculture at the Government House in Yola on Friday.
At the meeting, Adamawa State Commissioner for Livestock Development and Aquaculture, Alhaji Tijjani Maksha, assured the Federal Government of the state’s readiness to fully implement the National Ranching Policy in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He described the policy as a key instrument for addressing farmer–herder conflicts while repositioning the livestock sector as a driver of economic growth and social stability in the state.
Maiha, in his remarks, stressed the need to rehabilitate existing grazing reserves into commercially viable communal ranches, noting that ranching remains the most sustainable solution to long-standing livestock-related conflicts.
He explained that the Federal Government’s livestock reform agenda is focused on enhancing national security, social cohesion, food security, job and wealth creation, economic development, and environmental sustainability.
According to the minister, the success of the National Ranching Policy depends largely on the commitment of states and local governments to convert grazing reserves into self-sustaining economic hubs for beef and dairy production, processing, and other livestock value chains.
He however, commended Adamawa State for its early steps, including the procurement of pasture cultivation equipment such as tractors, baling machines, and grass mowers for the Gongoshi Grazing Reserve.
The Gongoshi reserve, covering about 9,400 hectares, is expected to serve as a pilot ranching project in Adamawa State. Maiha added that the Federal Government would continue to support states that demonstrate genuine commitment to the policy, particularly in capacity building, infrastructure development, and investor engagement.
The Adamawa State Government also announced plans to begin stakeholder engagements to sensitise pastoralists and other livestock value-chain actors on the National Ranching Policy, alongside a review of encroachment on grazing reserves aimed at recovering and rehabilitating them for proper resettlement.
Maksha further disclosed that the state is open to partnerships with private investors to establish a modern abattoir at the Gongoshi Grazing Reserve, targeting both local and export markets for red meat and positioning Adamawa as Nigeria’s Beef Capital.
Furthermore, the engagement highlights the Federal Government’s resolve, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to work closely with states in delivering lasting solutions to livestock-related conflicts while harnessing the vast economic potential of the sector.
