We have no land for grazing reserves – Benue Govt

The Benue State Government has reacted to the plans by the Federal Government to kick-start the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) with the establishment of grazing reserves in the 19 states in the North, Oyo and Ogun states in the South West as well as the Federal Capital territory, FCT.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sambo Nanono was quoted to have disclosed this in Abuja during the 44th regular meeting of the National Council on Agriculture and Rural Development (NCARD). The minister was further quoted to have affirmed that 22 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had registered with the NLTP’s office.

Reacting, however, the state government in a statement by Hon Ngunan Addingi, Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, said the current administration is committed to the enforcement of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, 2017 and no part of the state will be allocated for grazing reserves.

The statement reads, “While we cannot speak for other states listed in the establishment of the grazing reserves as announced by the Federal Government, we however distance Benue from the programme.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Benue State has domesticated the NLTP plan as approved by the National Economic Council, NEC. We therefore reiterate that we will only implement the NLTP as it suits our peculiarities.

“Moreover, the NLTP itself is not a compulsory programme. The resolution of NEC on the implementation of the Plan is not mandatory and states are free to domesticate it according to their peculiarities. For us in Benue, we have embraced ranching as a matter of policy and law for animal husbandry. To that extent, the state will not contradict the policy by accepting grazing reserves. Grazing reserves have no place in our law which prohibits open grazing.

“Consequently, the implementation of the National Livestock Transformation Plan, NLTP in Benue will adhere strictly to the state’s Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, 2017. The Plan will be implemented according to peculiarities which Benue State has identified. Our focus will be on livestock such as pigs, goats, poultry, sheep and cows.

“It is in this regard that Governor Samuel Ortom has consistently encouraged Benue households to venture into animal husbandry in addition to crop farming with ranching as the driving method.

“Our administration is committed to the enforcement of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, 2017 and no part of the state will be allocated for grazing reserves.”