By Okechukwu Nnodim

President Muhammadu Buhari has promised that in the next 18 to 24 months, no cattle will roam about in Nigeria.

The President said that the Federal Government had mapped out grazing areas where herdsmen would be restricted to, adding that grass seeds would be imported and planted in the grazing reserves.

The President, who was represented by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, made the promise in Abuja on Tuesday while delivering the keynote address during the 19th Regional Implementation Forum for International Fund for Agricultural Development-supported projects in West and Central Africa.

Buhari stated that it was high time cattle breeders desisted from taking their livestock to graze on farmlands, stressing that this had led to clashes that claimed many lives.

He said, “This is why our government has decided that grasslands in large portions around the country will be created and improved grass seeds will be brought in from other countries, which have gone ahead of us to create the desired grass that will make it unnecessary for the herdsmen to roam about. So in the in next 18 to 24 months, we assure you that no cattle will roam about in this country.”

The President added, “We need young women and men who can invest in cattle rearing and milk production as this must not be left only to the Fulani herdsmen. Feeding cattle has been an issue, which we need to address. We have given support to rice, wheat and cassava farmers; also to cocoa producers.”

Buhari urged participating governments at the function to invest in youths, noting that the growing rural-urban drift had resulted in massive depletion of youth population in the rural areas.

“One of the ways to address this urgent concern is to accord priority attention to the transformation of agricultural production in the rural areas, with the youth population as the agent of change and transformation,” he added.

In his address, the President of IFAD, Dr. Kanayo Nwanze, urged participating countries at the forum to create opportunities for African youths, particularly in agriculture.

He said Africa spends $35 billion annually importing food, whereas the continent has over 200 million youths whose skills could be gainfully harnessed in the agricultural sector.

Nwanze said, “By importing food, it means we are paying people to grow food and thereby increasing poverty in our countries in Africa. This must stop and we must develop our people in other to feed ourselves with what we grow as food.”

http://www.punchng.com/no-cattle-will-roam-about-in-24-months-buhari/

Will this move solve the issue of communal attacks by the blood thirsty Fulani marauders? Only time will tell.

News salt pls! ! Sorry source

once a murderer, always a murderer.

Pheals:
News salt pls! ! Sorry source

Apologies, salt, pepper and maggi added.

I still demand justice for those murdered by the blood thirsty herdsmen

obailala:
Apologies, salt, pepper and maggi added.

the soup go sweet

The news says 24 months o, so you guys check back in March 2018 because some people will soon come tomorrow and say they still saw cows roaming about.

Better keep your grazing reserves in the north!!! Not one inch of our lands would be ceded to these animals in the name of grazing reserves!!!Last time I checked no one is talking about trading reserves for the igbos who are predominantly traders.If any aboki wants land for grazing reserves in anambra state,let him use his money to buy the land the same way an Igbo man in sokoto would purchase a land for his business or residence.No one would use our scarce resources to support the already lucrative business of the Fulani herdsmen all in the name of grazing reserves

I like this approach to solving this problem, though i prefer ranching.
We also need big players to displace a share herdsmen's market, that should prompt them to realize the need to abandon the nomardic method of cattle farming.

The President said that the Federal Government had mapped out grazing areas where herdsmen would be restricted to, adding that grass seeds would be *imported* and planted in the grazing reserves.
so nigeria dont even av grass seed? always importing!!!

24 months..... enuf time for fulani herdsmen to wipe out the entire middlebelt region

I hate the importation of grass part. For f.uck sake we have large reserved land which can be use for planting of grasses for the cows. Those selling goat, sheep and horses in the south western state buy dry hay from the market and it is enough for all the animals kept in store for sales.

The period of 18 months is long enough for us to have a field where grass would be planted to feed cows. Those ranches in Ogun and Ondo state do not import grasses but source them from surroundings, buying at cheap cost and improving the income of some local grass sources. Importation will only take our money to foreign countries. Job opportunities will be thrown to foreign nations. And our farmers will be left to increases the riches of other countries.

Government should separate some pieces of land in every state where people who have interest in planting grass can use at a token price. This will in another round provide opportunity for wealth creation.

cktheluckyman:
Better keep your grazing reserves in the north!!! Not one inch of our lands would be ceded to these animals in the name of grazing reserves!!!Last time I checked no one is talking about trading reserves for the igbos who are predominantly traders.If any aboki wants land for grazing reserves in anambra state,let him use his money to buy the land the same way an Igbo man in sokoto would purchase a land for his business or residence.No one would use our scarce resources to support the already lucrative business of the Fulani herdsmen all in the name of grazing reserves

Reserves are goverment owned. Its like saying all southerners (lecturers and doctors) should leave every goverment institution in the north.

kozmokaz:
The President said that the Federal Government had
mapped out grazing areas where herdsmen would be
restricted to, adding that grass seeds would be *imported*
and planted in the grazing reserves.

so nigeria dont even av grass seed?
always importing!!!

With this logic, Malaysia won't be the largest exporter of palm oil

lekkie073:
24 months.....
enuf time for fulani herdsmen to wipe out the entire middlebelt region

When others are seeing peaceful co-existence and business opportunity, you are here looking for inter tribal war.

Your mates will become billionares by planting grasses. Some will become billionares importing grass. Some will become billionaire selling herbivorous plants or feed or anything the cows can feed on other than grass. Some will become billionaires selling lands for ranchers.

But you want to become a loser of inter tribal war. Best of luck buddy in your vision

kozmokaz:
The President said that the Federal Government had
mapped out grazing areas where herdsmen would be
restricted to, adding that grass seeds would be *imported*
and planted in the grazing reserves.

so nigeria dont even av grass seed?
always importing!!!

FOLYKAZE:
I hate the importation of grass part. For f.uck sake we have large reserved land which can be use for planting of grasses for the cows. Those selling goat, sheep and horses in the south western state buy dry hay from the market and it is enough for all the animals kept in store for sales.

The period of 18 months is long enough for us to have a field where grass would be planted to feed cows. Those ranches in Ogun and Ondo state do not import grasses but source them from surroundings, buying at cheap cost and improving the income of some local grass sources. Importation will only take our money to foreign countries. Job opportunities will be thrown to foreign nations. And our farmers will be left to increases the riches of other countries.

Government should separate some pieces of land in every state where people who have interest in planting grass can use at a token price. This will in another round provide opportunity for wealth creation.

High nutrient hybrid grass seedlings are to be imported and planted in the reserves; the grasses are not being imported for the cows to eat. Similar example is Malaysia importing palm seeds from Nigeria many years ago for 'planting.' Today they are one of the largest producers (and largest exporter) of palm oil, producing a thousand times more than Nigeria and raking in almost $20billions annually.

I didn't even bother reading the whole post since it's about promises. They tell us Boko Haram has been defeated,only for people who are dumb enough to go back there to be counted as casualties. Nigerians should know better than to live based on the promises of this government.

Habakus:
I didn't even bother reading the whole post since it's about promises. They tell us Boko Haram has been defeated,only for people who are dumb enough to go back there to be counted as casualties. Nigerians should know better than to live based on the promises of this government.

Would you rather prefer them doing 'nothing'?

Import grass?

obailala:
High nutrient hybrid grass seedlings are to be imported and planted in the reserves. The grasses are not being imported for the cows to eat.

The local grass the ranchers in Ondo state - Akure to be specific do not contain nutirents?

What about the hays goat seller buy from farmers?

Mr we should discourage anything like importation. I just hate spending money on stuff which can be produced locally. Grass are everywhere in the south.

Habakus:
I didn't even bother reading the whole post since it's about promises. They tell us Boko Haram has been defeated,only for people who are dumb enough to go back there to be counted as casualties. Nigerians should know better than to live based on the promises of this government.

Stop lying to yourself. Who told you boko haram has been completely defeated?

Obiagelli:
With this logic, Malaysia won't be the largest exporter of palm oil

so u are in suppot of d government decision ?

by d way who s gonna provide forex fr dat?

obailala:
Would you rather prefer them doing 'nothing'?

Would you rather preferred people went about their normal lives based on the so-called promises of Fg? People shouldn't be cautious again knowing fully well how many promises Buhari and co had backed down on?

FOLYKAZE:


The local grass the ranchers in Ondo state - Akure to be specific do not contain nutirents?

What about the hays goat seller buy from farmers?

Mr we should discourage anything like importation. I just hate spending money on stuff which can be produced locally. Grass are everywhere in the south.

'Higher nutrients' is the target my friend, advancement in agricultural science helps create higher nutrient feedstock which in turn helps to improve livestock productivity. People spend several years in our universities researching and developing these things; hope you aren't thinking these researchers are wasting their time especially when even my great-grand father knew how to just pluck some grasses and feed his goats?

You cannot expect us to make progress by being stuck in the past primitive ways do you?... And finally, the grasses are not being imported for consumption, they are being imported for 'planting'

kozmokaz:


so u are in suppot of d government decision ?

by d way who s gonna provide forex fr dat?

The forex seems to intrest you more than the lives lost to these clashes. Anyways the ministry of Agric has its budget and plans.

FOLYKAZE:


Stop lying to yourself. Who told you boko haram has been completely defeated?

You're the one lying to yourself. Where did i say that Boko haram has been COMPLETELY DEFEATED? Read what i wrote again and then reason if the Fg has told us that many times or not.

Habakus:
Would you rather preferred people went about their normal lives based on the so-called promises of Fg? People shouldn't be cautious again knowing fully well how many promises Buhari and co had backed down on?

WHat has a plan to restrict cattle grazing to certain areas got to even do with all these your stories?... Are you not in support of this decision? Is it really any and everything that you must criticise?

This is the right way to go. There is need to create grazing reserves for wailers to graze and forget their sorrows.

Wailing zombies quote me and be struck down.

This is what we have been saying nice one from the government... .it baffles me that some people just want to criticize everything

FOLYKAZE:
I hate the importation of grass part. For f.uck sake we have large reserved land which can be use for planting of grasses for the cows. Those selling goat, sheep and horses in the south western state buy dry hay from the market and it is enough for all the animals kept in store for sales.

The period of 18 months is long enough for us to have a field where grass would be planted to feed cows. Those ranches in Ogun and Ondo state do not import grasses but source them from surroundings, buying at cheap cost and improving the income of some local grass sources. Importation will only take our money to foreign countries. Job opportunities will be thrown to foreign nations. And our farmers will be left to increases the riches of other countries.

Government should separate some pieces of land in every state where people who have interest in planting grass can use at a token price. This will in another round provide opportunity for wealth creation.

The government is importing grasses to be planted here not grass to be fed directly to the cows

Making another promise when he hasn't fulfilled any of the ones he made pre election....

Lalasticlala, you see this kain life?

obailala:
WHat has a plan to restrict cattle grazing to certain areas got to even do with all these your stories?... Are you not in support of this decision?

My comment was straight to the point. PROMISING to restrict cattle grazing after so many hues and cries is one thing,but fulfilling the promise is another thing. I'm simply warning people to be cautious,and that they should take those promises with a pinch of salt going by the Fg's track record on promises. Simple.