In order to augment the implementation of the federal government’s Rural Grazing Area (RUGA) initiative in Kano State, Gov. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has established a Stock Routes Demarcation Committee.
While inaugurating the committee at the Kano Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (KNARDA) headquarters in Hadejia, Ganduje noted that the committee would help to further the peaceful farmer-herder relationship that has been made possible in the state through the RUGA Settlement project.
He stated that a mutual coexistence between farmers and herders in the region had once been the norm but that it was reversed as a result of climate change and population growth, which led to the migration of thousands of herders into Nigeria in search of the means to feed their herds.
“Because of the population growth, people began to encroach into the demarcated routes for cattle. With these two issues, the narrative changed.
“If you look at history, in those days there was no rift between farmers and herdsmen. That was when farmers could invite herders to come to their farmlands and get food for their cattle. In return, farmers would get fertiliser for their farms from the visiting cattle.”
The governor went on to explain the committee’s duties, which include the supervision of government efforts to identify cattle routes, adding that his administration has decided to establish a RUGA Settlement at the Dan Soshiya Forest in Kiru Local Government Area in a bid to address the challenge.
The KNARDA’s managing director has been selected to lead the committee, while other members have been drawn from government and security agencies, traditional institutions, farmers and herders groups and Fulani associations in order to improve community participation, promote security and assist with conflict mitigation.
