Nigeria: Modern Ranching, Panacea To Open Grazing, Security Issue, Says Okechukwu 

Mr Osita Okechukwu, the former Director General of Voice of Nigeria, has advocated for modern ranching as a solution to Nigeria’s open grazing and security problems.

According to Okechukwu, a founding member of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Enugu, modern ranching is the best solution to open grazing.

This involves consigning cows to a specific location, feeding and treating them by veterinary doctors, and providing ranch managers with schools and hospitals, as is done in other countries such as Brazil.

The Nigerian state can recoup its borrowing costs by increasing milk and meat production through modern ranching practices. In modern ranching, it is a win-win situation for herders who manage cows, as the focus is no longer on the Alimajiri school. It is a school that is located in a specific area where ranch houses are constructed.

“Modern ranching is a global practice that increases income, creates jobs, and prevents farmer crises. The open grazing crisis will continue to harm farmers’ crops. While it is impossible to prevent cows from destroying crops, modern grazing can alleviate the issue.

Also, Gabriel Ani, a political activist who opposed open grazing, lamented Nigeria’s bloody conflict between herders and farmers.

He stated: “I support the bill to end open grazing because it has caused more harm to Nigerians.

“In the eastern part of the country, women are raped, farmers are kinked, and farmlands and properties are destroyed as a result of the herders’ crisis,” he said.