Ishaku, Ortom Insist on Ranching as Solution to Herdsmen, Farmers’ Clashes

Governors Darius Ishaku of Taraba State and Samuel Ortom of Benue state have reiterated that ranching is the only solution to resolve the recurring clashes between herdsmen and farmers that have claimed several lives and rendered thousands of people homeless.

In the same vein, the governors maintained that herdsmen must be supported by the government to establish ranch es particularly in the area of provision of infrastructure.

Addressing a crowd of people that attended a peace meeting they initiated to resolve the lingering communal clashes along the border lines of both states at Kashimbila yesterday, both governors stressed that they are advocating ranching because it is the global best practice of breeding cattle.

In his own speech, Is ha ku noted that the trend all over the world is ranching, saying movement of cattle from one place to the other is no longer encouraged.

Citing Chile, which is one of the largest producers of cattle as an example, Ishaku stated that land would be provided for herdsmen to establish ranches where they would be provided with special grass es that would make the grow faster, bigger and healthier.

To this end, he revealed that he’s already in discussion with the Minister of Agriculture to procure eight special grass es that would be planted on the Ma mb ill a plateau and sold to ranch es across the country thereby generating more revenue for Taraba state.

“The trend all over the world is ran ching. Moving cattle from one place to another is not encouraged all over the world. We will agree with one another to give land for ran ching and I’ m already discussing with the minister of agriculture to get about eight special grasses to be planted at Mambilla.

“Machines would cut the grasses when they’re matured and they’ll be put in bales to sell to ranches. It makes cattle grow faster, bigger and healthier. It would be another source of revenue for Taraba”, he stated.

Also speaking, governor Or tom noted that Nigeria can not afford to live in theforties andfiftieswhen grazing was the norm but must be prepared to embrace ran ching which is the global best practice.

He noted that the usual call in some quarters to reverse back to the grazing routs that were designated in the forty’s and fifty’s is not possible considering population explosion with its attendant activities such as road construction, schools, mark et se.t.c that has significantly reduced the available land mass.