FG, Holland float model RUGA hub in Nasarawa, woo states
The Federal Government has partnered The Netherlands in a ranching hub project under the National Livestock Transformation Plan in Nasarawa State to proffer a solution to the farmers-herders’ crisis in the country.
During the inauguration of the project on Thursday, the President, Muhammadu Buhari, who was represented by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Muhammad Nanono, said the scheme would be replicated in other states that had indicated interest.
Buhari explained that his administration deliberately initiated the NLTP to develop the livestock sub-sector which was not given proper attention in the past.
He said the programme would ensure that herders stayed in a confined place instead of the usual nomadic way of rearing livestock.
“As a government, we would provide the necessary environment and give them our support just as we have been supporting other sectors of the economy”.
“I am optimistic that the programme will succeed at the end of the day, thereby reducing the increasing farmers and herders crisis and other criminalities in the country”, he added.
The president explained that the ranching project, in the Awe Local Government Area of Nasarawa would be on 22,000 hectares of land.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agriculture and National Coordinator of NLTP, Dr. Andrew Kwasari, said 360 households in Awe were captured in the project.
Representatives of the government of The Netherlands and Dutch Ambassador to Nigeria, Harry Dijk said the process of building ranches in the country began in 2018 when Buhari visited their country and signed a Memorandum of Understanding in a bid to proffer solutions to the farmers-herders’ crisis.
