‘We Are Not Giving Land To Herders-Akeredolu

Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN, Governor of Ondo state has said his administration will not give land to herders but would key into the National Livestock Transformation Plan of the federal government to ensure that incessant clashes between farmers and herders are permanently eradicated.

The governor explained that the National Livestock Agenda is simple and does not include conceding land to herders.

He spoke while playing host to a delegation of the Food and mAgriculture Organisation (FAO) led by its country representative, Mr. Fred Kafeero.

While stressing that the National Livestock Transformation Plan has a lot of public misconceptions, the governor said the plan only involves having an area owned by the people where services will be provided for livestock owners.

He said, “We will have an area where we can have livestock. It is an area where our people own but only provide services.
“We will ensure that there is grass and other ways of feeding this livestock. What we need to do is to encourage haulage, not by bringing the cows by road.

“You will bring your cows and other livestock to the livestock grazing area and you pay to feed them. FAO can offer advice. Our people give different interpretations to whatever we say or do.”

Akeredolu called for the inputs of FAO on the National Livestock Transformation Plan.

Earlier, the FAO country representative in Nigeria, Mr. Fred Kafeero, said the global body has majorly been a technical institution for strengthening the production capacities of farmers through effective collaboration with governments at both national and sub-national levels.