Following herders and farmers crisis rocking the country, three southern states , namely Ekiti , Ondo, and Ebonyi States have said they will donate any land to be used as grazing reserves for herdsmen under the National Livestock Transformation Programme.
Recall that the Federal Government had in February said it had mapped out 30 grazing reserves across the country for the planned implementation of the NLTP.
The government said the implementation of the programme would result in a lasting solution to the farmers -herders crisis in the country .
The Ebonyi State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Uchenna Orji , confirmed the state’ s participation in the programme , adding that it would improve the agricultural sector of the state.
He said , “ Yes, we want to take advantage of the National Livestock Transformation Plan to improve our agriculture to ensure that our farmers are involved in livestock production.
“ So , it’ s going to be wonderful , because it will involve the rearing of different types of animals. It is going to be an integrated farm and that is why it is called a livestock programme . We want to be part of the programme . ”
Similarly , the Ekiti State Commissioner for Agriculture , Olabode Adetoyi , said the state government was committed to the NLTP, noting that it was in the process of reactivating the Oke Ako and Irele cattle ranches in the state to cater for the interest of cattle businessmen .
Adetoyi said , “ We are committed to the NLTP. We have our Irele and Oke Ako ranches which we want to reactivate and give to any businessman that approaches us for ranches. ”
He said a two – day training programme for the committee set up by the NLTP and the state government was already billed for this month.
However, six state governments , namely Delta, Cross River , Anambra , Akwa Ibom , Oyo , and Edo have said they will not donate any land to be used as grazing reserves for herdsmen under the National Livestock Transformation Programme .
