Kwara Govt calls for understanding between herders, farming communities
Kwara State has called for understanding between herders and farming communities in the state.
Director of Livestock Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Muhammed Ahmed Umar, made the appeal at a one-day peace dialogue between herders and farming communities, organized by Kwara Search Common Ground Media, held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Center in Ilorin on Friday.
Muhammed hinted that the state government has engaged a consultant to conduct findings on the grazing zones for herders that have been taken over by structural buildings and farms across the state in efforts to provide herders with free movement for their business.
The Director explained that the government may also create alternative grazing zones for herders at the end of the exercise.
He emphasized the need for brotherhood and understanding in their occupations in a bid to mitigate the persistent age-long conflict arising between them.
Muhammed described discussions at the peace dialogue as educative and informative, which could help the government in finding lasting solutions to the incessant conflict between the two parties.
He lamented that, aside from the issue of herders-farmers conflict, insecurity arising from bandit activities has also driven farmers out of their farms.
In his opening speech, State Coordinator of Search for Common Ground, Adekitan Adeyemi, stressed the need for peace to guarantee the desired growth and development of communities and Nigeria in general.
Representative of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Kwara State, Alfa Saeed Atonto, complained that underage herders on grazing expeditions find it difficult to control their cattle, hence, they stray into farms and destroy farm products.
He appealed to herders and their owners to come to the rescue of the poor farmers because “we are brothers and we need to be united.”
Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alhaji Garba Shehu, lamented that aggrieved farmers impose outrageous fines on herders when cattle invade their farms, demanding millions of naira for destruction of farm products.
He appealed to farmers to be considerate in their demands for compensation as brothers in the agriculture sector.
A woman leader, Hajia Usman Zainab, decried the animosity between herders and farmers, saying the farmers see the herders as their common enemies.
She said the enmity between them is unnecessary and called for a change as brothers in the same communities.
Kwara Govt calls for understanding between herders, farming communities
