Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina State has declared his support for herders practicing cattle ranching rather than open grazing, News About Nigeria reports.
While speaking in an interview during a television programme, Politics on Sunday, on TVC, he noted that the ranching method of rearing cattle possesses lots of benefits as opposed to open grazing, adding that it offers value addition and is more secure compared to open grazing, which often leads to conflicts.
He, however, pointed out that it will not be possible to take herders off the streets in a short while.
He stressed the importance of a gradual transition, advocating for sensitization and encouragement for people to adopt ranching practices.
“There is a need for us to encourage ranching. I’m not supporting or opposing, but I’m saying there is a need for us to embrace ranching because it is more profitable.
“We can’t take the herders off the streets just in a very short time. We need to give time for people to be enlightened. There’ll be a lot of sensitization and encouragement for people to go into ranching because it is more profitable and more secure,” he stated.
He called for a shift towards ranching as a more sustainable and profitable alternative to open grazing, amid ongoing insecurity and agricultural challenges in the region.
Recall that the bill seeking to ban open grazing and establish ranches for herders in the country has passed a second reading in the Senate.
The bill was passed on Wednesday during the plenary after a majority of the senators supported it when the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, put it to vote.
