Herdsmen and cattle in Jigawa will now enjoy dedicated routes and grazing reserves.

The project will cost at least N7 billion.

The Jigawa government disclosed this on Friday.

According to the Jigawa Farmers and Herdsmen Board, the government had concluded plans for herders and their cattle to use 95-kilometre grazing reserves and routes carved out by the state.

The government explained that the grazing reserves and routes were part of the measures to tackle farmers-herders incessant clashes.

Zubairu Sulaiman, the board’s spokesman, told the News News Agency of Nigeria on Friday in Dutse that the government would carve out the reserves from 10 local government areas.

The local councils include Babura, Birninkudu, Gagarawa, Gumel, Gwaram, Buji, Maigatari, Suletankarkar, Kafinhausa and Kirikasamma.

He added that the government had released over N7 million for the reserves.

The board called on leaders of the farmers, herders, and traditional rulers in the affected areas to cooperate with the government to ensure the successful execution of the demarcation.

On January 1, 2008, former Governor Sule Lamido established 400 grazing reserves, 50 of which already gazetted.

The effort to establish and demarcate grazing reserves in Jigawa was part of a multi-dimensional approach adopted by Mr Lamido to address the perennial violent clashes between pastoralists and farmers.

(NAN)