Issues affecting grazing reserves resolved, says FG

Okwe Obi, Abuja

The Federal Government, on Tuesday, said issues stalling the success of grazing reserves such as herders and farmers impasse, which has affected food security, has been nipped in the bud.

Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, said this at the National Commodity Alliance Forum (CAF) 2018, in Abuja.

The minister noted that most states haVE accepted ranching as the way forward especially for the management of livestocks not just to prevent conflicts, but also to improve farmers’ productivity.

Represented by his Senior Technical Adviser on Agribusiness, Eneyi Ambakederemo, the minister explained that the Federal Government was working assiduously towards providing flood resistant seeds to mitigate the effect of natural disaster on crops.

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“I am glad to note that the contentious issues of grazing reserves has been largely resolved as most states have now accepted ranching as the way forward for the management of livestock not just to prevent conflicts but to improve farmers’ productivity, derive maximum economic benefits and modernise livestock management.

“We have undertaken adequate sensitisation of communities to understand that national food security is tied to the general security in the country because no one produces in an atmosphere of clashes and conflicts,” he submitted.

Meanwhile, Representative of International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Ms Mariatu Kamara, who pledged the organisation’s commitment to provide relevant support especially in rural areas to embark on development agenda, also explained what CAF stands to achieve.

“On the part of IFAD, we will continue to provide the relevant support to the government and people of Nigeria in a bid to support rural communities take over their development agenda.”

Kamara explained that “CAF, apart from acting as transaction, market inclusion and empowerment forum for smallholder farmers, is also a forum for policy debate and knowledge sharing,” she added.