Katsina State Government has approved 5,000 hectares of arable farmland for ranching.
It is in a bid to curb the herders and farmers’ clashes in farming communities across the state.
Governor Aminu Masari, disclosed this during the 46th annual conference of the Nigerian Society for Animal Production, held at the Federal University, Dustin-ma, FUDMA, Katsina State.
He said, the ranching system will enable the children of herders to have qualitative education.
He also said that the only solution to the herdsmen and farmers crisis bedevilling some parts of the country is the establishment of ranches in the states, hence the provision of the 5,000 hectares of land.
Read Also : Bandits kill one, abduct two in Katsina
Masari who was represented by his special adviser on Livestock and Grazing Reserve, Dr Lawal Bagiwa, explained that apart from the 5,000 hectares set aside for the pastoral development, the state government has also earmarked 2,000 hectares for infrastructure and homestead farming in the ranches.
According to him, they have also identified and beaconed over 3,000-kilometre stock routes across the state, to provide pathways for herders.
Masari said that it is worthy to note that in the past farming season, the state did not experience conflict between the farmers and herders in the state, hence the need to further take the ranching step.
The national president of the Nigerian Society for Animal Production, NSAP, Professor Francis Abeke, identified improvement in livestock production as a sustainable measure, that will revamp the country’s economy.
(Editor: Ifeanyi Mark)
