Malami Seeks Pastoral Commission To Nip Farmer-Herder Clash.
At a time that Nigeria is facing revenue challenges, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, Tuesday, sought a pastoral commission regulated by law to address the protracted farmer-herder conflicts in the country.
Nigeria currently has over 200 federal agencies that draw funds from the treasury and creation of another will further pressure the nation’s dwindling revenue.
The AGF who seems not to mind the cost aspect of the additional agency while speaking at the Peace, Unity and Security Lecture Series 2021, said the Commission, when established, could facilitate in-depth analytical studies with a view to providing lasting solutions to the recurring clashes between herders and farmers.
“One of the issues that dominated the media space in recent time is the issue of farmer-herders conflict. Farmer-herder crisis is real. It, therefore, requires real-time and practically-oriented solutions.
“The better approach towards resolving the crisis over the short, medium and long terms is to directly involve the stakeholders in the solutions at the conception, implementation and monitoring phases.
“In this case, the community-oriented approach is likely to yield greater dividend in diffusing and eventually eliminating the menace that has retarded economic development and created wide-spread insecurity.
“Ladies and gentlemen, it is not out of place for me to say that simply addressing farmer-herder crisis from purely theoretical perspectives often devoid of reality and without synchronization with the needs and aspirations of the involved stakeholders is not only counter-productive but inimical to the emergence and sustenance of a peaceful and prosperous Nigeria.
“It is against this backdrop that I proffer the following recommendations for the consideration of the symposium:
The setting up of regulated grazing reserves to replace the ‘Burtali’ or ‘Hurumi’ pastoral system.
“Intensive enlightenment to livestock breeders on the need for sedentary farming and transhumance agriculture as a complementary economic process to nomadic farming.
“Provision of water holes in remote grazing locations subsidized veterinary care and mobile ambulatory services for surgeries and other medical interventions for livestock.
“Provision of infrastructure – social amenities, educational facilities and cattle markets at central locations to accelerate nomadic settlements.
“Educating communities on the need for peaceful co-existence; after all these communities have lived harmoniously side by side and even intermarried for generations.
Nigeria is a predominately agricultural in nature and geography. To that extent, there is constant mobility of herders across the different belts of Nigeria.
“It is, perhaps, time to consider setting up a commission for pastoralism regulated by law.
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