The Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has ascribed the increasing clash between farmers and herdsmen in the north to the resultant effects of climate change.
Ganduje stated this during the National Conference on Livestock Reforms and Mitigation of Associated Conflict.
The conference was organized by the Kano State Government with the theme ”Sustainable Livestock Reforms and Mitigating Associated Conflicts in Nigeria”.
Ganduje said that the effects of climate change have led to stiff competition for resources, forcing herders to seek for new grounds for pasture.
“The climate change shrinks the amount of arable land, which is contributing to cycles of violence and putting additional strain on relationships among farmers and herders.
“While herders have had to change their trans-humance routes along which they move cattle from one grazing ground to another on a seasonal basis; farmers, on the other hand, say herders are intruding on their land,” Ganduje said.
He said that while these conflicts have existed for a long time, there has been an observed rise in violent activities resulting from these misunderstanding.
“But the disputes have reached crisis levels in recent years, killing thousands of people and displacing many thousands more with their homes left in relics by attacks.
“The livelihoods of farmers and herders have, historically complemented each other.
“They exchanged produce with one another and when conflicts arose, they were addressed by traditional institutions and existing conflict resolution mechanisms.
“However, over the past few decades, a wide range of factors have resulted in tensions often ending in deadly violent conflicts between the two groups,” Ganduje said.
In addressing the issue, Ganduje advised that a collaboration between Nigeria and border states be established to mitigate against arms dealing, which is fueling banditry in many communities in the country.
He said that the entire livestock industry must be overhauled to give way for modernization of its practices.
“Predominantly nomadic pastoralists should be persuaded to move their cattle into established ranches and public grazing reserves.
“Where breeding farms and other mechanized livestock management practices would bolster the sector’s productivity,” Ganduje said.
He added that the earlier proposal to establish the Rural Grazing Areas (RUGA) policy by the federal government must be allowed to thrive.
According to him, despite the politicization of the policy, it still holds immense potential to help Nigeria address this challenge.
On its part, he said that the Kano State government has commenced the implementation of the policy.
“We have gone far in the establishment of Ruga Settlement in Kano, already, 25 housing units out of the projected 500, situated on 4, 413 hectares of land at Dansoshiya Forest in Kiru local government have been completed and handed over to the herders.
“Replica of the houses will be displayed during an exhibition planned as part of this conference,” he said.
