Taraba advises herdsmen to form co-op societies

The Taraba State Government has advised herdsmen operating in the state to co-operative societies for easy intervention by the government.

Dr David Kassa, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Taraba State, who said this on Monday told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, that crop farmers and herdsmen who formed cooperative societies would be eligible to access government’s intervention to build their own ranches and curb frequent crises.

“I want to advise herdsmen and other livestock farmers to form cooperative societies for easy identification and intervention by the government.

“Between five and 10 herdsmen can come together and build a ranch and mark their cows to live there. This can make for easy access to government’s intervention in terms of grants, soft loans and subsidies on animal feeds,” he said.

Kassa said ranching was the best form of rearing animals globally.

 NAN reports that ranching is the practice of raising herds of animals on large tracts of land. Ranchers commonly raise grazing animals such as cattle and sheep.

The commissioner advised government at all levels not to shy away from providing support to herdsmen and livestock farmers for the overall improvement in agriculture.

He noted that the continuous conflict between herdsmen and crop farmers was causing a setback for everyone.

Kassa decried the situation where the Middle Belt region of the country with a conducive climatic condition for agriculture had become a battle ground.

“The Middle Belt region has the best climatic condition for both crop and animal production. Building ranches is the only way out of the terrible crisis we are facing as a nation. I will advise the Federal Government to make a legislation that will encourage ranching across the nation and to provide intervention funds to curb frequent crisis,” he said.