The International Organisation for Peace Building and Social Justice (PSJ Nigeria) has said the proposed bill to establish ranches and ban open grazing in Nigeria sponsored by Titus Zam, the senator representing Benue North-West senatorial district is expected to enhance food safety and stimulate economic growth.
In a statement signed by Sam Odeh, the program manager of the organisation, made available to Journalists Saturday in Jos, PSJ Nigeria described the bill as a “pivotal step towards a peaceful, prosperous, and united Nigeria”.
The organisation said the shift from open grazing to ranching will ensure that cows are reared in controlled environments, producing healthier meat and milk for Nigerian consumers. This is expected to improve food safety standards across the nation.
Additionally, PSJ said the establishment of ranches is poised to create job opportunities for Nigerians and stimulate economic growth, fostering a robust and sustainable agricultural sector.
The organisation asserted that the bill is also seen as a solution to the food security challenges posed by open grazing, adding that, the practice has rendered 134,208 hectares of land in central Nigeria uncultivable, drastically reducing food crop production.
“The benefits of ranching extend beyond resolving conflicts. Ranching ensures that cows are reared in controlled environments, producing healthier meat and milk for Nigerian consumers. This shift from open grazing to ranching promises to enhance food safety standards across the nation.
“Furthermore, the establishment of ranches is poised to stimulate economic growth and create job opportunities for Nigerians, fostering a robust and sustainable agricultural sector.
The open grazing system has rendered 134,208 hectares of land in central Nigeria region uncultivable, drastically reducing food crop production. The Senate’s moves to put a ban on open grazing is a commendable step towards alleviating this issue, ensuring that agricultural lands are utilized effectively for food production. This move will not only mitigate food shortages but also stabilize the nation’s economy by bolstering agricultural output”.
It added that the Senate’s move to ban open grazing is expected to alleviate this issue, ensuring that agricultural lands are utilized effectively for food production, insisting that it will mitigate food shortages and stabilize the nation’s economy by bolstering agricultural output.
The organisation praised the bill’s aim to regulate and manage ranches, promote food safety and economic growth, address food security, and promote national unity and progress.
“We have been following the recent conversations and events at the red chambers of the National Assembly; and want to openly state that, the Bill to Ban Open Grazing and the Establishment of National Animal Husbandry and Ranches Commission, sponsored by Senator Titus Zam, representing the Benue West senatorial district in the National Assembly is in the right direction and should be accepted by all citizens.
This legislative initiative aims to regulate, manage, preserve, and control ranches throughout Nigeria”.
PSJ Nigeria urged all citizens to support the bill, which it believes will bring an end to the persistent farmers-herders crisis and promote peaceful coexistence among communities.
The international organisation also called on the Senate and the Federal Government to establish ranches in pastoral states of origin, without imposing it on other states or communities who do not have pastoralists as citizens.
“We want to call on the Senate and the FG that Establishing ranches in pastoral states of origin, without imposing it on other states or communities who do not have pastoral its as citizens, respects the rights and traditions of all Nigerians while promoting harmony and development.
“Nigerians cannot afford to stand by while the nation descends into chaos due to violent clashes and the displacement of citizens to IDP from open grazing. PSJ Nigeria urges all citizens to support this bill, which represents a pivotal step towards a peaceful, prosperous, and united Nigeria”.
PSJ Nigeria hailed the bill as a sustainable solution to the lingering crisis and a step towards a more united and prosperous Nigeria.
