Nigerian farmers, under the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), have expressed their support for the ranching bill, despite intense opposition from the herders’ community and northern leaders.
The bill, titled “A Bill for an Act to Establish the National Animal Husbandry and Ranches Commission for the Regulation, Management, Preservation, and Control of Ranches throughout Nigeria; and for Connected Purposes, 2024,” is targeted at regulating livestock grazing.
It also encourages the establishment of ranches as a means to address the long-standing and violent conflicts between farmers and herders, which according to a report, have resulted in the loss of over 60,000 lives.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Titus Zam representing Benue North-West, recently passed its second reading in the Senate.
However, the bill has faced fierce opposition from pastoralists and northern leaders. The Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore Fulani socio-cultural association has described the bill as a recipe for chaos, noting that it will not resolve the enduring farmer-herder conflicts.
According to the association, it will rather sow discord among Nigerians and fail to address the livestock sector’s challenges.
Farmers, on the other hand, see the bill as a viable solution. Kabir Ibrahim, president of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), expressed strong support, highlighting the economic benefits of ranching.
“We welcome the bill,” Ibrahim said. “Ranching animals yields higher economic value. It’s a very welcome development.”
However, he stressed the need for the bill to be more inclusive, rejecting the idea that ranches should be confined to herders’ states of origin.
“The myopia of saying that ranches should be confined to specific states is wrong; it should be more accommodating,” he added.
Ibrahim said that the opposition from the pastoralist community and northern leaders stems from a lack of understanding about tbenefits of the bill. He therefore stressed the need for education and outreach.
“Pastoralism is a way of life. When you show them the advantages, they will understand.
“However, some clauses in the bill stigmatize herders and restrict them to their origins, which will naturally lead to resistance,” he explained.
Adeola Adegoke, national president of the Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria, also supported the bill, pointing out that farmers all over the country are victims of the farmer-herder clashes.
He noted the severe damage to cocoa farms, especially young trees, caused by the movement of cows.
“Just the action of passing through the farms, not even grazing, is destruction. They also feed on plantains often planted alongside cocoa trees to protect them from direct sunlight,” Adegoke said.
He emphasized that ranching offers a sustainable solution to the crisis and opposed the proposal to limit ranches to herders’ states of origin, arguing that all states benefit from cattle products.
The Miyetti Allah however, has pledged to resist the bill, while the Northern Elders Forum has supported their stance.
The bill has been referred to the Senate committees on agriculture, trade and investment, judiciary, and legal matters for further legislative action, including public hearings. The committees are expected to report back next month.