The federal government has inaugurated the first National Pilot Ranching Programme at the Gongoshi Livestock Grazing Reserve in Mayo-Belwa Local Government Area of Adamawa.

Inaugurating the project on Saturday, the minister of livestock development,  Idi Maiha, described it as a major step towards transforming Nigeria’s livestock sector.

The pilot scheme is to be implemented in five states, comprising Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Adamawa, as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Mr Maiha said the initiative was part of the federal government’s efforts, under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, to develop livestock production centres across the country.

“This is the first of the pilot projects we are inaugurating as part of the efforts, under the able leadership of President Bola Tinubu, to develop livestock development centres across the country.

“The Gongoshi Grazing Reserve has been willingly allocated by the Adamawa Government for the development of this centre. It was not an imposition.

“We did not take or grab anybody’s land. The Adamawa government willingly, and on its own volition, allocated this land,” he said.

The minister said the Adamawa government had allocated approximately 9,600 hectares for the project, “which is being implemented through the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Project (L-PRES), with support from the World Bank.”

He said the project would be implemented through a partnership between the Federal and state governments and eligible private-sector partners.

According to him, Adamawa had selected dairy, beef, fodder, sheep and goats as priority value chains under the programme.

Mr Maiha said infrastructure already provided at the reserve included a solar-powered borehole and livestock drinking troughs, while additional facilities would include schools for children of nomadic pastoralists and an upgraded veterinary facility.

Earlier, the national coordinator of L-PRES, Sanusi Abubakar, said Gongoshi was one of five pilot grazing reserves being developed by the ministry.

Mr Sanusi said the resuscitation of grazing reserves required collaboration between the Federal and state governments.

“The main purpose of resuscitating the grazing reserve is to reduce the radius of movement of livestock farmers.

“By doing so, we will have greater peace and improved collaboration between livestock farmers and crop farmers,” he said.

The national coordinator added that a weather station had also been established at the reserve in collaboration with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).

Mr Sanusi said the ranching programme was designed to produce quality pasture, seeds, hay and forage.

He added that the ranching projects would create employment opportunities in cultivation, harvesting, processing and veterinary services.

“This project creates direct opportunities for our youth and local communities,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of the Adamawa government, the chairman of Mayo-Belwa Local Government Council thanked the federal government for establishing the project in the state.

He assured that the state government would provide adequate security to protect the equipment and other facilities at the pilot ranching reserve.

Several large and intermediary livestock farmers and associations from Adamawa, Taraba, Gombe and Bauchi states graced the inauguration.

(NAN)