The plans by the Federal Government to establish cattle colonies across the country is gaining more support as state governors are trooping into Abuja to declared an interest in participating in the implementation of the cattle colony policy.
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.
“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 colonies”.
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.
“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.
“The governor ( Plateau state) was explaining now what has happened to some of those in Plateau with whom they’ve interacted, who are now those urging them to, please, organise ranches because it saves them the trouble of marching up and down, getting into fights with farmers. So the strategy for us is to sit down with the herders and those who intend to go in, explain the modalities, (as) all of them are willing to take part.
“But we will look for the funds to begin the process. And in anticipation, we have even spoken to the Food and Agriculture Organisation. They are willing to give us some help. We are going to ask for help from elsewhere. We are going to get it and develop this. So, once it takes off, we’ll find that many of the big timers who might find it easier to work in these colonies than set up their own ranches. They will come along and do it. But it will work. Once they understand it, it brings in a lot of relief.”
The Minister, however, urged Nigerians to take advantage of this policy to create wealth for themselves, adding that the policy is not for only Fulani herdsmen alone.
“And again we want to emphasise you don’t have to be a Fulani before you keep cattle. If anyone decides that you have some small space and keep ten milk cows and feed them well, and look after them, you don’t need a job. If you are doing 20 litres of milk a day from a cow and there’s an off-taker processing the milk, it is very good money. The governor was just telling us a story of a civil servant in his state who resigned his job because of a few cows he has. He was making more money than his salary. I’ve seen that in Uganda and Kenya”.
Furthermore, Ogbeh said “once the colonies begin, we are also going into large-scale artificial insemination to improve the breed of cattle so that the yield of milk can increase. As at today, our cows deliver just about one beer bottle which is a litre of milk a day. In East Africa, cows do 15 liters of milk. In Europe, they do averagely 50 litres of milk a day. So, we are a long way from achieving the target which other countries have achieved”.
On the process of getting lands for the colonies, the Minister said “But the idea is not to go and take anybody’s land. We are not. Somebody said to me in a text, very angry at this policy, that the word colony means that we are trying to use Fulanis to colonise their state and that it reminds them of colonialism. Well, we don’t really want to take anybody’s land to give anybody. It’s just a biological term and we’re not after taking land from anybody to give anybody. But indigenes will find that keeping cattle is profitable, keeping goats is profitable, keeping pig, sheep, just like keeping chicken, is profitable.
“If you want a piece of land, apply to the Governor. He doesn’t seize the land. He goes and calls leaders and say, we want to do this here. It will create jobs, you can participate, and they gather and say yes, this area. Governors consult and the traditional rulers consult their people, and they consult their educated children.
“We won’t come to a state, take land and give Fulanis or Hausas or Itsekiri or Idoma or Tiv and say this area has been seized and given to an ethnic group. That’s not the idea. We wouldn’t do that here. There is no need to take anybody’s land and forcefully use it. But we’ll also tell the herdsmen if you are passing through a state, you can only go to the colony and stay there, feed your cattle and when you are moving off, agro-rangers will follow you and make sure you don’t destroy anybody’s farm.
“We are as angry as the farmers because we are telling people to go and grow rice and cassava. We can’t be here and be happy that somebody goes there, and eats up the crops and shoots the farmers. So we should be the honest brokers in-between all of them. But please allay the fears of people. We cannot be mischievous about this because it’s about making sure that there is peace in Nigeria.
In his remarks, the Governor of Plateau state, Simon Lalong said “When the issue of ranching was introduced, the first request was that it was not compulsory but for people who have lands in their state or for the government who had lands to give them lands for the implementation of the programs. I knew that many states said they don’t have lands. But for us in Plateau State, we went back.
“Even as a Governor, I didn’t say we are seizing this land. I called the people, and I said, which area will want this thing sited in their place? After a lot of consultation and explanation (was done), in fact, Plateau state. There was no part (that said) they didn’t want to ranch. At that time, they wanted only two portions. Now, we have more than two portions of land that were offered for the purpose of this agricultural policy.
“So even for this colony that we are talking about, we already have two settled. One belongs to the government; then the ones that were donated by the people themselves. The local government was now competing saying, this is our land, and we want it. So, I think it is all about communication and then understanding of the concept and especially when you see the importance and the benefit of what the Federal Government is doing to not only improve the security but also on the economy as a means of diversification.
“So, like you mentioned, it is not to seize anybody’s land. It is voluntary. After even introducing the one from the government, we see a lot of applications from individuals themselves. People buy lands. They have their certificates of occupancy and they bring it and say, Mr Governor, please, we want you to reach out to Federal Ministry. For this programme, I am interested. My portion of land is here. So the issue of even fighting over land is not there even within the community. And I’m sure most governors that offered land did not go to acquire or seize the land from the people, it was voluntarily given by the communities”.
Also, Kogi state Governor, Yahaya Bello while declaring an interest to implement the Cattle Colony policy, noted that “Kogi state is basically agrarian. We met Kogi State as being referred to as civil service state and within the period we’ve been in the office, two years now, we are changing it from the civil service state to an agricultural state, doing that in the limit of our resources.
“Of recent, we had a peace and security meeting with some Fulani herdsmen in Kogi state. Our communities, our traditional rulers, our youths, our farmers and the herdsmen that live amongst us: we have agreed to live in peace. And to be able to permanently live in peace, we must look for a permanent solution which is ranching.
“While we are on that, we are aware that the Federal Government, especially the Ministry of Agriculture is coming up with what we call Cattle Colonies Programme and we want Kogi State to pilot this particular programme and we are very confident that, with the peaceful co-existence in Kogi state, we are going to drive it and make it a model that other states and even other countries will come and copy from us. And (we will) make it another form of agricultural activity for our teeming youths that are already engaged. Some are engaged, and we can engage them even more in the production of livestock dairy and the rest.
“Kogi state is thickly and densely populated with shrubs and heavy stone, and what have you. We require the Ministry to assist us in land clearing because it is one very key factor of production in farming.”
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