Farmers-herdsmen clashes are among the most serious security challenges
facing Nigeria today, especially the northern part of the county. Tussle
for the use of agricultural land is becoming intense and more prevalent.
It is the most predominant resource-use conflict in Nigeria. Clashes
between farmers and herdsmen over land are as old as trade in Nigeria.
Reports of bloody clashes between farmers and herdsmen have become a
recurrent problem that most Nigerians are concerned about, because its
ripples affect everyone in the country. Apart from being a major cause of
food shortages and food price increase, thousands of lives are frequently
lost; many farmlands and cattle are lost as a result of these clashes.
The Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido has provided a permanent,
feasible and win-win solution. In most parts of Jigawa state, the
government has established grazing reserves and water pumping windmills
for herdsmen to freely nosh their herds. The grazing land is also watered
frequently by the water pumping windmills for grasses to grow even during
dry seasons. On the other hand, the farmers are provided with large
expanse of farmland to cultivate crops. One beautiful thing about some of
the farmlands is that they have dual function- they have on them
facilities for dry season farming.
Water pumping windmills, cattle routes, demarcated grazing reserves and
farm land are not new in Nigeria, but this writer was amazed with the
stretch of the windmills, grazing reserves and farmlands. Definitely,
Governor Sule Lamido must have used the physics theory of €˜series
connection€™. Throughout Jigawa state, water pumping windmills, cattle
routes, demarcated grazing reserves and farmlands are established at
strategic and well-thought locations.
Apart from promoting co-existence and harmony between farmers and
herdsmen, instead of the usual conflict, a major benefit of this Governor
Lamido€™s initiative is that it has enhanced local community security,
safety and development. Furthermore, another beautiful result of the
project is, most of the herdsmen do not unnecessarily wander around in
search of pasture and water because the windmills provide drinking water
for their own use as well as for large cattle stocks. The multi-bladed
wind pumps constantly pump water which continually irrigates the large
area of the land on which lush grasses grow even during dry seasons. And
finally, the herdsmen feel ownership of the land.
Farmers-herdsmen clashes in Nigeria are a problem affecting the entire
Nigerian society. However, Governor Lamido has brought a new dimension to
solving the problem. Therefore states and the federal governments should
model this beautiful solution. Modeling this solution will be very easy
because water pumping windmills are economical and environmentally
friendly and Nigeria has demarcated grazing reserves, marked cattle
routes and large farming areas.
Zayyad I. Muhammad writes from Jimeta, Adamawa State, zaymohd@yahoo.com
08036070980. He blogs at www.zayyaddp.blogspot.com