Farmers/Herders Conflict: Ondo Trains 150 People on Feedlot System

Farmers/Herders Conflict: Ondo Trains 150 People on Feedlot System

By Fidelis David

Ondo State Government has disclosed that it has trained and certified 150 pastoralists in cattle, sheep and goat value-chain business with special emphasis on feedlot operational system.

Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, disclosed this at the weekend in his address at the closing ceremony of the second phase of the five-day training programme in Akure.

The event was organised by Ondo State Agric-business Empowerment Centre (OSAEC) in collaboration with Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

The governor, who was represented by the state Head of Service, Pastor John Adeyemi, said his administration thought it expedient to revamp and reintroduce feedlots, which was a variant of ranching with the support of FAO.

Akeredolu, who also reiterated that the future of the country depends on Agriculture, urged the participants to think more on opportunities that abounded in the entire value chain of agriculture.

He said it was another milestone geared towards creating jobs, ensuring food security, and promoting peaceful coexistence among inhabitants of the state in order to eradicate farmers/herders clashes.

According to him, “It is an indisputable fact that the culture of moving large herds of cattle from one part of the country to the other is archaic and has in recent and years been enormously unbeneficial especially as it has become a threat to national security, cohesion and food security.”

“The way forward is with sense of pride that I say that my administration thought it expedient to revamp and reintroduce ranching with support and collaboration with Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

“Feedlot operational system is a variant of ranching where our livestock are being confined to militate against the myriads of problems associated with open grazing of cattle.”

Meanwhile, the Chairman of OSAEC, Mr. Akin Olotu, urged the participants to adopt as practice the feedlot system of rearing animals as it would improve productivity and profit for the famer.

According to him, the enlightenment of herdsmen on the use of feedlots would be the best solution to the farmers/herders clashes across the country.

“You will agree with me that the open grazing has become problematic in the country, and the people are complaining. Herders are Nigerians, they can move around, and farmers are equally Nigerians entitled to their farms, and we have to out and end to the conflict,” he stated.

He stressed that “Governor Akeredolu has taken it upon himself to champion this course, and that is why we are working with members of the Ondo State chapter of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria.”

The Ondo State Secretary of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Mr. Ahmed Danna, said the training was a welcome development for the association, adding that with technology, the meat production and profitability for them would increase.

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