Nigeria launches ranching policy to end herder clashes

The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Ministry of Livestock Development led by Minister Mukhtar Idi Maiha, has intensified efforts to end recurring farmers-herders clashes by implementing a National Ranching Policy. The government identified six priority areas - Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Adamawa states and the Federal Capital Territory - as conflict hotspots. It plans to rehabilitate 417 grazing reserves into integrated economic communities, starting with a pilot scheme in Nigeria — Plateau State. The policy aims to transition pastoralists from nomadic herding to settled ranching by providing pasture, water, veterinary services, and infrastructure within designated settlements. The government has engaged about 34 pastoral organizations, including consultations with the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa adu Abubakar, and the Miyetti Allah group. Additional measures include radio-frequency identification for livestock, construction of veterinary clinics, cold-chain vaccine storage, and promotion of commercial fodder cultivation. President Bola Tinubu expressed strong support for the initiative, describing the livestock value chains as 'fantastic.' The policy is part of a broader strategy to modernize the livestock sector and reduce rural conflicts.