The Yobe State Government has gazetted 16 out of 31 grazing reserves while 15 others are being processed to curb clashes between farmers and grazers in the state.
The Manager, Yobe Pilot Livestock Development Programme, Dr Mustapha Gaidam who stated this yesterday in an interview with Daily Trust in Damaturu, said gazetting and protection of grazing reserves would provide a permanent solution to farmer/grazer conflicts in Nigeria.
He expressed regret that grazing reserves and cattle routes were mostly not protected in the country, thereby making cattle breeders susceptible to encroachment on farmlands.
“Our experience in Yobe State where grazing reserves were gazetted, protected and developed is that it has been very effective in curbing clashes between farmers and grazers,” Gaidam said, adding, “The authorities should ensure strict enforcement of laws protecting the reserves against encroachment by farmers while grazers’ encroachment on farmlands should face the full wrath of the law.”
He said the Yobe State Government also developed pasture farms in the grazing reserves which provided livestock with improved feeds that had substantially reduced migratory livestock farming in the state.
“The grazers have flooded government with requests indicating their intention to settle in the grazing reserves rather than moving from one place to another,” he said.
