Adamawa states government says it has earmarked 15,000 hectares for use as grazing reserves and cattle ranching in the state.
The Hon. Commissioner for Agricultural and Rural Development for Adamawa state Hon. Ahmadu Haruna Waziri announced the government’s decision to Journalist yesterday, on the heels of a recent meeting of stakeholders over the creation of the proposed grazing reserves in the state for cattle ranching attended by Chief Audu Ogbe the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.
He said the state government initially allotted 5,000 hectares but had to scale it up with another additional 10,000 hectares, in view of Adamawa’s state symbolic status as the home for diary and cattle rearing in the Federation.
“Initially we allocated 5,000 hectares. But as the number one livestock state in the country, we really should demonstrate our position. So it is likely we would allocate another 10,000 hectares to bring it to 15,000 hectares.
“It would be evenly distributed across the 21 local government of the state because every part of the state deserves a little part of the reserves”.
In his response, to prospect of a possible opposition by farmers in the state to the government’s decision to allocate such a huge parcel of land for cattle grazing, Waziri said it was inconceivable.
“The government does not envisage, clashes being spurred by its decision since the reserves will be established far away from the farming populace at the outskirts of some of these communities”.
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