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FULANI HERDSMEN AND GRAZING FIELD |
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Grazing fields have been a big challenge for cattle rearers in Nigeria. The cattle rearers are majorly from the northern part of the country but mainly migrate across the country in search of grazing fields.
But the problem is the way they go about it. They take their cows into a farm and completely destroy the content of that farm regardless of whether the farm has weeds or plants. This has always set the herdsmen against farmers who they invade and destroy their lands without remorse. The Fulani herdsmen are also too willing to go to the extreme to ensure that their cows graze. They have killed so many farmers who tried to oppose them or that were simply in their farm when they came grazing as well as raped many women in their target communities. In fact, from January to July 2015, the Fulani herdsmen have killed about 761 farmers in Nigeria and they show no sign of stopping. This has brought the issue of federal government creating a National grazing field reserve to the fore. When the issue was discussed in the Nigerian senate in 2012, the lawmakers were divided in their opinion along ethnic lines. The bill which sought to establish a National grazing land reserve throughout the country was proposed by a senator from the far north of Nigeria and only supported by people from that region. It was rejected by senators from the South West, South East,South South and the Middle Belt. Some argued that to do so will amount to inviting trouble to their regions as the Fulani herdsmen never cease to initiate trouble while others didn't buy the idea of having their lands as grazing reserves just for people from one part of the country. That left the northern part of the country as the only region where the National grazing reserve could be established. But then, what really chased the Fulani herdsmen out of their northern homes to all parts of Nigeria in search of grazing field? Desert encroachment and massive deforestation in the north are chiefly responsible for this. The fields no longer have enough green pastures for the cow to graze and with desert encroaching, it pushed them further out. That's the reason why there is much hope with the Nigerian government's recent effort to promote the use of liquefied petroleum gas as a cooking fuel to ensure reduction in the manner in which trees are felled by people seeking for firewoods. This will go a long way to return green pastures to the land now. Again, if the government get the Clean Cookstoves deal on, that will help to further reduce the level of deforestation and consequently, desertification that is going on in that area. Also, the country needs national grazing reserves but that should be in the states of origin of the Fulani herdsmen as having the reserves in other states will be akin to handing the herdsmen an open invitation to terrorize people of that area which have continued to do without showing remorse. Photo 1: ends.ng Photo 2: informationng.com
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3 Comments
Thanks for the great report mate!!! Keep it up! =)
Posted 29-08-2015 02:31
Yes I agree.Lack of pastures is a problem caused due to deforestation.
LNG used as a fuel will prevent deforestation for getting firewood which in turn would provide pastures.Thankscfor reporting.
Posted 26-08-2015 02:14
Thanks for bringing a fresh perspective and a lesser talked reason of crop-destruction. I have also seen many a times in India and Kenya (during my visits) that cattle grazers are just concerned about their cattle's requirement to graze. They don't care if they are ruining farmer's crop or land.It's sad though.
Unfortunately as you said severe deforestation has left hardly any green pastures in North for cattle to graze so these herdmen have to roam throughout the country.
Hopefully the introduction of Clean Cookstoves would help eliminate /reduce the problem of fewer green pastures/deforestation.
Posted 25-08-2015 21:28