The decision was taken at the Presidential Villa in Abuja yesterday during the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting chaired by Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo.
Those at the meeting included Secretary to the Government of the Federation Anyim Pius Anyim, the governors of Adamawa, Anambra, Bayelsa, Benue, Bauchi, Borno, Cross River, Ebonyi, Kaduna, Kebbi, Ondo, Niger, Plateau States as well as the acting governor of Taraba State and the deputy governors of Kogi and Abia States.
Addressing journalists after the three-hour closed-door meeting, Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam said the council resolved to phase out cattle movement because of the security problems it had created in some states.
He said the council agreed that the Federal Ministries of Agriculture and National Planning would go round the six geo-political zones to sensitize farmers and herdsmen on the need to stop cattle movement.
Suswam said a committee he chaired, in its report urged the council to look into such critical issues as struggle for land and water resources by herdsmen and farmers, uncontrolled influx of nomadic farmers into Nigeria and issues on grazing reserves in states.
He said the committee recommended the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should provide seed funding of N100 billion to help states establish mini modern ranches across the federation.
Suswam said the committee also recommended that considering the present realities, all grazing reserves/cattle routes already gazetted and encroached upon should be recovered and improved upon.
The governor said the committee also suggested that ranching and modern technologies of livestock production such as meat processing and packaging be established.
The committee, Suswam added, also recommended that the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and relevant ministries, departments and agencies of government (MDAs) should organise sensitisation and education workshops for herdsmen and farmers to build trust and confidence between both parties.
He said the council appointed him as well as the Ministers of National Planning and Agriculture to come up with the final framework for the approval and implementation of the recommendations.
