Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has demanded the creation of a Federal Ministry for Livestock and Fisheries that will work towards exploiting the potential in the sub-sector has.
The Senate on Wednesday, June 5, passed for a second reading a bill that seeks to establish a national agency for the regulation and management of ranches in Nigeria.
The bill titled: “A Bill to Establish a National Animal Husbandry and Ranches Commission for the Regulation, management, preservation, and Control of Ranches throughout Nigeria; and for Connected Purposes, 2024” was sponsored by Senator Titus Zam (APC-Benue North-West).
Zam in his lead debate noted that the Senate was aware of the increasing wave of violent conflicts between pastoralists and farmers in Nigeria.
He said such conflicts have assumed a war-like dimension “with a far-reaching negative impact on the people and country as a whole.”
However, Alhaji Baba Usman Ngelzarma, MACBAN president told SaharaReporters on Monday that the proposed National Animal Husbandry and Ranches Commission for the Regulation, Management, Preservation and Control of Ranches will only address one aspect of livestock which is ranching.
He urged President Bola Tinubu’s administration to implement the recommendations of the Livestock Reforms and Mitigation Committee to seek a lasting solution to the perennial farmers-herders conflict in rural areas.
“We need the creation of a full-blown or full-fledged ministry for livestock that will work towards exploiting the enormous potential the sub-sector has, and address the entire livestock value chain benefits for the interest of the nation rather than a commission that will only address one aspect of livestock which is ranching.
“Livestock is not doing well today because it is being handled by a mere department in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture. It contributes below 15% to overall GDP of the country because attention is not giving to it.
“This is one of the reasons we are agitating for a Ministry, just like they have in other African countries where livestock contributes a good percentage to their GDP.
‘‘We have submitted the report of the committee headed by the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Attahiru Jega, on Livestock Reform and Mitigation sometime last year. This requires the creation of Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries so that livestock-related issues can be given due attention.”
“We are looking forward for the President to establish the implementation committee so that implementation of that report starts in earnest,” Ngelzarma added.
