In an effort to eradicate the farmers-herders conflicts, stakeholders have called for the re-identification and preservation of grazing reserves and cattle routes in Taraba state.
The Taraba State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, Alhaji Ibrahim Barewa, made this appeal on Monday during a stakeholders engagement and town hall meeting organized by the National Orientation Agency, NOA, in Jalingo, the state capital.
According to the stakeholders, this is a crucial step towards resolving the clashes between herders and farmers that often lead to massive destruction of lives and property in the state.
Formed as part of the Pathway to National Cohesion, Development and Unity Conference, the meeting focused on combating insurgency, banditry, extremism, youth restiveness, and the persistent conflicts between farmers and herders.
Barewa stated that the encroachment on grazing routes and reserves, originally established since the pre-colonial era, had severely hindered herders’ movements and contributed to tensions with farming communities.
His words: “Our people are finding it difficult to move from one location to another because human activities have taken over many of the grazing paths.”
He urged security agencies to intensify efforts to end the illegal movement of arms and to arrest and prosecute any herders found carrying weapons.
The MACBAN chairman also accused some politicians of exploiting the actions of criminal elements among herders to fuel conflict.
In his own remarks, the state chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria, AFAN, Alhaji Salisu Kumba, emphasized that the state government should protect grazing reserves and cattle routes as part of measures to restore peace between farmers and herders.
Farmers and herders, Kumba affirmed, are naturally peaceful people, blaming political interests for causing divisions.
He then proposed the establishment of a Herders-Farmers Commission to handle conflict mediation and promote dialogue between the two groups.
Also speaking, the Director of Livestock Services in the Taraba State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Mahmoud Abdullahi, disclosed that the state has nine gazette grazing reserves.
Abdullahi noted that widespread encroachment on the reserves have continued to exacerbate the conflict.
He also attributed the neglect of grazing reserves to lack of patronage and increasing human settlement activities, while also identifying drug abuse among young herders as another factor driving violence against farmers.
“The ministry is working toward re-identifying grazing reserves and cattle routes in the state to help address these challenges,” Abdullahi said.
Earlier on his own part, the Director of NOA in Taraba, Zakari Muhammad, highlighted Nigeria’s security challenges including extremism, banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling, and farmer-herder clashes.
According to Muhammad, the NOA’s Pathway to National Cohesion and Unity Initiative aims to develop region specific strategies to address security issues while promoting national unity and development.
“We strongly believe that combating these challenges requires a multifaceted approach that promotes national cohesion, development, and unity.
“We urge stakeholders to commit to peaceful coexistence, recognize shared humanity and interests, support collaborative initiatives, and empower traditional and community leaders in conflict resolution efforts,” he said.
