Eleven states are taking steps to commence ranching as a way to address the age-long violent clashes between herders and farmers, which have claimed several lives.
While some states have allocated lands for ranching, many others have pledged lands, and a few are developing policies that will guide the initiative as a viable business venture.
The states ready to commence ranching are Lagos, Plateau, Ondo, Zamfara, Bauchi, Delta, Niger, Kano, Jigawa, Nasarawa and Anambra.
The development comes against the surge in killings in Benue and Plateau communities linked to armed herders.
Last week, over 200 persons were murdered in Yelewata, Benue State, by armed assailants.
President Bola Tinubu attributed the incident to land-grabbing and vowed to go after the perpetrators.
He also established a committee of elders, comprising former governors and two prominent traditional rulers in the state, to promote peace in the state.
He directed the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Christopher Musa, to immediately arrest the alleged killer herders.
The Permanent Secretary at the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems, Emmanuel Audu, said the state had been developing its ranching system and was open to collaboration with the Federal Government and other interested stakeholders.
“That (collaboration with FG) is open for discussion,” he said. “We are already developing our own ranch. We are already implementing the project, and we are at the development stage. We have the land and we are putting infrastructure (in place), and we are going to allot to private sector organisations which can start a cattle ranch.”
The project has already started over three years ago, so we are already working on that ranching system. If there is a need for any collaboration, yes, we welcome it.”