Current national concern on Grazing Reserve (GR): A misunderstood pastoral development

From the inception of President Muhammad Buhari’s administration and with the escalating number of conflicts between arable crop farmers and pastoralists, a lot has been said and written by stakeholders and news media, giving a wrong impression that majority of Nigerians don’t know about pastoral system and what is even worse, they have very little idea about the federal government’s effort since the 1960’s to data, to resolve the conflicts. In actual fact, President Muhammad Buhari was Chairman for “Maiduguri Conference in Enhancing peaceful co-existence in Nigeria” organized by Centre for Peace, Research and Conflict Resolution of the National War College in 1998. It was round table session on pastoralist/farmers conflicts and on national borders security. Recommendations were made but were they implemented?

Recent statements by concerned Nigerians especially the Hon. Minister of Agriculture, as well as the General overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye and Nigerian Media has forced me to write this piece to enlighten concerned Nigerians. The facts are:

1. Grazing Reserves (GR) ARE MEANT TO BE PART and parcel of post colonial “development” efforts of the various governments in Nigeria. It is true that when development becomes deadly, the pastoralist are the best managers of arid and semi-arid grazing zones. However, with massive development in land use as in housing, cross country road constructions, establishment of large industries and massive land clearings, all leading to gradual eliminati9n of tse-tse flies but reducing the grazing orbit in the northern guinea and penetrating of southern guinea savanna by ruminant livestock, conflicts were bound to occur. Hence, for pastoralist to be “developed” they must be settled. With settlement goes the pride of ownership and developmental initiatives. Pastoralism was “a way of life”, there is need to do all we can to convert it to a profitable commercial/ economic enterprise. In truth, it is the wandering Bororo pastoralism, not the real Fulani is behind all these problems.

2. That was the philosophy behind the establishment of grazing reserves (GR) law in 1965, duly implemented by several states in the federation. Ideal of land deprivation from farmers to please pastoralists did not arise since Nigeria has 281,080km2 of pasture land and 392,333kn2 for available crop production in 1970s, many states have acquired the gazatted many GRs e.g one example from each state is as follows:

From the above, you can see that grazing reserves are not new and cover nearly all states. The question is why have we failed to execute their proper implementation? Simple reasons are: 1. Overstocking/over grazing especially round the watering areas i.e. Nomadic Fulanis maintain uncontrolled animal population.

2. What belongs to all belongs to none. Hence when there was over grazing and feed shortage, the Fulanis vacated the reserves back to their migratory habit or force their animals to graze arable crops nearby.

3. Encroachment of cattle routes (burtalis) and grazing areas by arable crop farmers become rampant and pastoralists departed. Since the Bororos have no permanent home base, it was easier for them to move to fresh grounds.

4. The World Bank assistance to some well-developed GRs went back to square one when the assistance finished. Possible Solution The present Head of State, President Muhammad Buhari had been rightly advised on line of action to be taken in solving the farmer/pastoralist conflict while he was the Chairman of PTF (Petroleum Trust Fund). He had a number of us as PTF consultants to work with the regular PTF staff in charge of livestock development.

As part of the pastoral development programme under his chairmanship, 42 grazing reserves were identified and some even gazette to be surveyed, retraced and demarcated. In addition, 12,505km of stock routes were identified for ease of access of animals to their grazing and watering points, to minimize perennial conflicts between pastoralist and arable farmers.

To ensure continuity after PTF intervention, pastoralist were organized and encouraged to form Cooperatives Societies e.g. pastoral Herd Owners Associations, and Pastoral Herd Owners Committee, were in place in some States.

Each co-operative, collectively contributed money to renovate their earth dams and watering points and developed pastures especially in Adamawa State. The herd owners were highly sensitized and seem to appreciate government effort on their well-being and that of their most valued commodity, cattle and their livestock occupation.

They were taught modern livestock management techniques, on housing of calves, feeding and nutrition. In addition, these cooperative groups were introduced to feed millers and agro businesses to able to purchase cotton seed and groundnut cake, molasses, salt lick, etc, direct as well as access to animal health services, with very little assistance from experts.

All above is to encourage sedenterisation, pride of ownership, and competition. They were encouraged to take livestock rearing as a viable economic enterprise.

Alas, with the coming of President Obasanjo’s administration, Baba Iyabo virtually killed the PTF by employing none experienced people in its administration and wasted resources. With no consultants and contract with the advisers, all the structures carefully laid down started to crumble. President Buhari knows what we went through to be successful. He can repeat the programme to save lives, loss of properties and prevent inter-tribal conflict. Nigeria has enough knowledgeable human and material resources to cope with the situation if faithfully tackled. It is not the importation of exotic grasses and legumes for zero grazing that will feed nearly 15 million herd of cattle and over 3o million sheep and goats. NAPRI, Shika Kadauna State had been involved in pasture and livestock resewrch for development for over 50 years. Today in Brazil, commercial cattle rearers based their grass feed resources on “Shika grass” (Cynadon dactylon) imported 2 or 3 decades ago from Nigeria. Many modern farmers in Nigeria have introduced alfafa grass and failed. We have the answers at our finger tips; let us collectively solve this age long problem of conflicts here and there. The greater problem is with the migratory fulanis who are problems to the arable crop farmers all over the federation.