Minister of Livestock Development, Dr Mukhtar Maiha, has said the rehabilitation and utilisation of Nigeria’s grazing reserves will permanently end open nomadic herding, reduce farmer–herder conflicts and unlock massive economic opportunities across the livestock value chain.
Speaking during an interview on ARISE News on Thursday, Maiha said the Federal Government’s livestock reforms are designed to transition animal husbandry from an unsustainable migratory system to a modern, sedentary and commercially viable model capable of transforming rural economies and restoring peace.
The minister added that the reforms are anchored on the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy, which aims to grow the sector from $32 billion to $74 billion within 10 years.
“If we rewind back to around May this year, we made a presentation to the National Economic Council on what we call the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy. That is a strategy we crafted after looking at all legacy livestock policy documents over the last 15 to 20 years, including the Atayru Jagar report,” Maiha said.
“From a base value of $32 billion, we are targeting $74 billion in the next 10 years. That is more than doubling the sector — about a 130 per cent increase. It is very ambitious, but it is achievable.”
He identified the utilisation of existing grazing reserves as a critical pillar of the reforms.
“One fundamental pillar that we believe will make a definitive mark in the transformative journey we are embarking upon is the utilisation of grazing reserves,” he said.
“We have about 417 grazing reserves across the country. About 273 have been gazetted. Many have been encroached upon, but none of them, since pre-independence times, have been rehabilitated or developed with the necessary infrastructure to receive livestock in a sedentary format.”
Maiha said the failure to develop grazing reserves had sustained nomadic movements, which he identified as a major driver of conflict.
“Intentions do not change anything until there are practical steps on the ground. Because these grazing reserves were never developed, the pastoral lifestyle continued, and in the last 15 to 25 years, we have seen an escalation of farmer–herder conflicts,” he said.
He attributed the crisis to population growth, urban expansion, climate change and outdated animal husbandry practices.
“We have aggressive urbanisation, demand for infrastructure, schools, hospitals and roads — all on land. We also have climate change, dying rivers and unpredictable weather patterns. Yet the animal husbandry pattern has not changed. That has led to overgrazing and loss of biodiversity.”
Maiha said the government’s objective is to permanently end open grazing by settling livestock owners in well-equipped communal ranches.
“We are changing animal husbandry from a traditional, open, migratory and nomadic system to something that will be sustainable, crisis-free and profitable,” he said.
“Each grazing reserve will become a communal ranch.”
He explained that pastoralists had been actively involved in designing the new system.
“We have been holding sensitisation engagements with livestock owners over the last year. We had a two-day intensive workshop with 34 organisations from across the country,” he said.
“The model we developed did not fall from heaven. We visited grazing reserves, evaluated them and discussed directly with pastoralists at the grassroots.”
According to him, the ranches will be fully equipped to support both livestock and human communities.
“They need pasture, they need water, veterinary clinics, primary healthcare centres, schools and energy. We have agreed on solar energy. These are not luxuries; they are necessities,” Maiha said.
He said the new ranching model will also improve security by eliminating uncontrolled movement.
“If animals are not moving from point A to point B, buy peace. Most conflicts occur during movement when cattle stray into farmlands,” he said.
“Once animals are settled, we reduce clashes, improve disease control and increase productivity. You cannot improve breeds if animals are moving. You cannot do artificial insemination on a moving target.”
Maiha emphasised that livestock reforms would also drive economic growth, job creation and food security.
“If you have 50,000 heads of cattle, each breeding cow can produce 30 to 40 litres of milk. That alone will attract dairy processing, jobs, nutrition improvement and poverty reduction,” he said.
“We are also looking at beef production, feedlots, abattoirs, hides and skins, leather works, biodigesters for clean energy and organic fertiliser. The economic prosperity is unimaginable.”
He urged Nigerians to see livestock as an economic asset rather than an emotional issue.
“Let us become less emotional about animals and more realistic. Let us look at the business sense,” he said.
Addressing insecurity in rural areas, Maiha clarified that criminality should not be conflated with livestock production.
“Banditry and kidnapping should be separated from livestock. I am not the Minister of Defence, and I am not the Inspector-General of Police,” he said.
“What we are doing is a non-kinetic intervention — to settle pastoralists, modernise their business and reduce mobility. When mobility reduces, conflict reduces.”
He said sedentarisation would also improve education and healthcare access for pastoral families.
“When you are moving all the time, your children don’t go to school, your family doesn’t go to clinics. We want pastoralists to remain in one place and enjoy a better quality of life,” Maiha said.
“This government is committed to providing the infrastructure to make that possible.”
Boluwatife Enome
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