In a bid to avert farmer-herder crisis and boost livestock production, the Kogi State Government on Thursday distributed pasture seeds and fodder choppers to 510 farmers.
Speaking at the occasion, the Kogi State project coordinator for the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support project, Dr Olufemi Bolarin,
argued that the livestock sector is vital to Nigeria’s socioeconomic development.
He traced the current inflation in the prices of foodstuffs in the country to the farmer-herders crisis.
According to him: “The end result of this is to curb farmers-herder conflicts in our state. The distribution of pasture seeds and fodder choppers to 210 and 300 farmers, respectively, is coming at a time when our nation is faced with the issue of the farmer-herder crisis.
“We can all see the prices of food materials in the market. It is a result of farmer-herders crisis. By the time we minimise it, it will enhance food security. It is a known fact that if farmers are free to go to their farms, there will be an increase in productivity and there will be food on our table.”
He further stated: “Forty-two per cent of Nigeria’s population own at least one type of livestock; 30 per cent of the population are living directly from livestock production, while an estimated five million people are productively engaged in upstream segments of the livestock value chain.
“However, one of the challenges increasingly affecting the sector is the continuous decrease of limited natural resources, especially pasture; which has also become a significant source of the framers-herders crisis in Nigeria. It is in recognition of the sector and the need to address its challenges that the L-PRES project was launched.”
The Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES), Project, according to him, is a World Bank-supported initiative with a project development objective to improve productivity, commercialisation along the livestock value chain, build the resilience of targeted livestock farmers and strengthen the country’s capacity to respond to any eligible crisis or emergency.
“These fodder choppers are more than just tools. They represent an investment in farmers’ success. Over time, they will erase the need for open grazing as feed availability for livestock will be met. It will significantly reduce the time and effort required for feed preparation, allowing farmers to dedicate more resources to animal care and farm management. Additionally, the Brachiaria grass provides a high-quality, nutritious feed source that will contribute to healthier livestock and, ultimately, increased beef and dairy yields,” he stated.
While thanking Governor Ododo for his commitment to ensuring food security in Kogi State, he warned the beneficiaries not to sell the items given to them.
In his address, Kogi State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security Timothy Ojoma, who was represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Jonah Enehi, charged the beneficiaries and other livestock farmers to double their efforts to make sure Kogi State becomes the first in the country in livestock’s production.
He noted that the state government is determined to enhance food security in the state.
Ojoma maintained that agriculture tops the thematic agenda of Governor Usman Ododo, pointing out that it will continue to make the agricultural sector number one in the state.
The commissioner encouraged livestock farmers and disputing parties to resolve their differences amicably, pointing out that the present administration is committed to ensuring peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders in Kogi State.