Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
Taraba State government on Monday announced the establishment of a model ranch and livestock training center in the state as a panacea to the conflict between farmers and herders.
The state Commissioner of information Mr Danjuma Adamu who disclosed this at a press briefing in Jalingo said that the state government has already secured land along the Wukari-Takum road in the southern part of the state that is worst hit by the conflicts.
Danjuma said that “the establishment of the center was in line with open grazing prohibition and and ranches establishment law of the state aimed at minimizing herders and farmers clashes and promotion of modern agricultural and animal husbandry practices. Already provision has been made in the 2021 budget.
“It is important to stress that ranching system is the global best animal husbandry practice that can bring about increase productivity, improved livelihood of actors in the field, safety and security, job creation, peace building and social justice. This is to help expose the people of the state to the benefits of ranching to encourage the herders, farmers and youths to embrace ranching as a panacea to the incessant conflicts between these two groups.
“A suitable land was therefore secured by the government along Takum-Wukari road for the establishment of this model ranch and livestock training center. The ranch and livestock training center will give the citizens of the state, particularly youths the opportunity to practice livestock business under a conducive and peaceful environment”.
Adamu noted that the the state was concerned about the second wave of the COVID-19 global pandemic and has put in place measures to minimize the impact of the second wave of the virus and urged the citizens to adhere to the globally acceptable protocols for preventing the spread of the virus.
He said that the state government was collaborating and cooperating with with security agencies in the state to curtail the troubling rise in the wave of kidnapping and other heinous crimes in the state and ensure the return of normalcy to the southern part of the state that has been engulfed in the Tiv/Jukun crisis for the last two years.
