Kogi and Plateau states have shown interest on the new initiative of the federal government for the implementation of Cattle Colony Policy across the states of the federation to avert incessant killings by the Fulani herdsmen.
In less than two days, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh received the governors of Kogi and Plateau states in his office to discuss on how to implement the cattle colony policy in their States.
During the visit, Chief Ogbeh explained that “there are areas carved out for different species of animal whether by nature or by human design. That is found in a large community sharing the same terrain. You can refer to them as a colony. We have big colonies in certain areas. If you go to the West Indies, crocodiles and alligators are bred in colonies where they harvest them for shoes and belts and ladies’ handbags. So, a colony is a much bigger thing than a ranch. They are basically about the same kind of thing.
“We are talking of colonies because 20, 30, or 40 ranchers can share the same colony. A ranch is usually owned by an individual or a company with sometimes very few. Some have more than 200 or 300 cows. In a cattle colony, you could find thirty thousand cows owned by different owners.
“The reason we are designing the colony is that we want to prepare on a large scale, on the economy of scale, a place where many owners of cattle can co-exist, be fed well because we can make their feeds. They can get good water to drink. Cows drink a lot of water. We can give them green fodder.
Explaining further, the Minister said “a team from ABU Zaria was here and one of the professors there produces cattle feed seed. The different kind of seed will go for cattle. We’ll grow this on a large scale, harvest and feed the cows. We’ll give them veterinary services and, above all, protect the cows against rustlers. By a special design, we have to make sure that rustlers can’t cross into the ranches and steal cows and walk away.
“That’s what we mean. We think that between governments, it’s cheaper to do this for herdsmen and others who want to rear cattle than for individuals to go and invest money because we know many farmers have difficulties raising bank loans. So between the ranch and the colony, it’s simply a definition of size and scope.
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“Now, (the Plateau State governor) has started and the smaller ranches are working in Plateau. We intend to lend a hand to Plateau and the sixteen other states which have expressed interest in helping them to develop their coloniesâ€.
On funding for the establishment of the colonies, Chief Ogbeh said “the cost of setting up a ranch, that’s why he’s here, that’s why we wrote to the governors. We’ll join hands. First, you acquire land, they show us a place and our experts will decide whether the place is suitable or not. We push down a few trees, remove the stumps, and plant the right kind of fodder.
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“I emphasise, again when we first came and talked about grass, Nigerians were very angry and they called us every kind of name in the book. But there is no way you can keep cattle if you don’t deal with the question of fodder and it’s not every kind of grass that cows eat. But our cows are so hungry now. So we plant the grass. then we have a small feed mill which converts agro-waste to livestock feed.
Much of that cost is going to be borne by Federal Government and where the state can chip in something.
“However, when herders arrive, individuals who want to play a part in place will pay a small fee. By the way, the Fulanis have always told us there is a tax they pay called ‘Jangali’. They are willing to pay because nothing is as precious to the herdsman as fodder and water and security. So, they will pay. They are quite willing to pay because it totally changes their lives.
www.sojworld.com © January 12, 2018
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