Contrary to the speculation that the Federal Government intends to import grazing grasses for cattle, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has disclosed that it has no intention of importing grazing grass but only for replanting purpose.
Senior Special Adviser on Media to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Kayode Oyeleye, said, “It was quite a misconception by many that the government wanted to be importing grazing grass regularly to feed cattle. The government did not have such intention.
“Actually, the intention of the government was to import the grazing grass for re-planting in lands reserved for cattle ranch so that the perennial lack of grazing grass for cattle nationwide would be eliminated.
“The FG had good intentions in this regard so that the problem of grazing grass would be solved once and for all in the near future. But some people misconceived the government’s intention to mean regular importation of the grazing grass.”
The minister’s aide explained that the herdsmen go all out to find areas with grass for their cattle to graze, not to attack farmers in the southern part of the country.
According to him, grazing is more of reality as many lands are being taken over by deforestation and erosion.
“This is the reason herdsmen go extra miles to find food for their stock. They protect their animals from being attacked and stolen. Animals also stray into farms without the herdsmen knowing.
“Many communities in the north also experience attack from herdsmen over their farms being damaged by cattle. Most of these herdsmen are not even Nigerians. Many are from the neighbouring countries like Chad, Niger, Cameroun, and Mali.
“An agency called ‘Agro Rangers’ has been put in place to go into communities to fend off any form of aggression by herdsmen against farmers of any village. Their job is to neutralise any form of hostility by herdsmen against farmers. Furthermore, most states have given lands for ranches, which will put an end to the roaming of animals,” he said.
