FULANI HERDSMEN: CATTLE ROAMING SHOULD STOP IN W-AFRICA – AGRIC MINISTER

Ministers of Agriculture in the West Africa sub-region have been urged to work together to proffer solutions to myriad of problems facing agricultural production in the sub region. The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh made this call during a meeting with a delegation from the World Bank led by the Vice President Africa Region, Mr. Mukhtar Diop in Abuja recently. The Vice President Africa Region of the World Bank, Mr. Mukhtar Diop, the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh and the Country Director for Nigeria, Mr. Rachid Benmoussad during a meeting between the World Bank team and the ministry in Abuja Ogbeh said that “We could have a beautiful future in Africa, if we organize ourselves very well”. The Minister explained that the issue of cattle grazing in livestock production had posed serious problems to West African countries, resulting to violence between farmers and herdsmen. He stated that the attention of the governments had hitherto focused on some segments of farmers such as rice, cotton, soya bean farmers while “Nobody had remembered to do anything for the cattle farmers who now resorted to self- help that often leads to violence.. Ogbeh added that cattle roaming usually deplete their nutrients thereby reducing the quality and quantity of milk and meat produced. He also expressed concern over the population growth in the West African sub-region with high number of unemployed youths, and advocated the need for African Countries to deal with the issue, saying that there was no proper attention to the plight of youths in the past. Chief Ogbeh commended the World Bank for their supports for the country in so many areas including Agriculture over the years and solicited for more supports particularly in livestock production. He expressed the urgent need for the World Bank to support the West Africa countries to solve the problem of cattle grazing, saying that “it is time for West Africa to stop cattle roaming so that the production of milk will rise while the Fulani herdsmen will live normal life”. The Minister also sought for support from the World Bank in the Agricultural Value Chain, packaging and standardization of agricultural produce, Agricultural mechanization and seed quality among others. He said there was need for Nigeria to have an all- year- round farming practice by harvesting three crops of maize and two crops of rice annually in order to catch up with the needs of population growth which he put at 450 million by the year 2050. He maintained that the Labour Intensive Family Enterprise (LIFE) of the Federal Government which is on course would create wealth and jobs to the rural youth and women as well as reduce rural-urban migration. Earlier, the Vice President, African Region of the World Bank, Mr. Mukhtar Diop, who led the delegation said the team was in the Ministry to map out ways of assisting Nigeria in moving Agricultural Sector to the next level. The Vice President said his organization noted the vision of the present administration towards the development of agricultural sector and expressed the willingness of the World Bank to give necessary support to accelerate the growth. He said the World Bank had developed and launched a Regional project which covers countries like Chad, Niger, Mali, Senegal and Burkina Faso in Agriculture, adding that Chad has a grazing area that had been identified as a one- stop shop which has specific points of access to water, irrigation services, educational services and other services to support farmers.