Kano State Government said it has embarked on a move to identify and preserve cattle routes in the state to curtail farmer/herders’ clashes and boost food security.
The state project coordinator, Kano State Agro-pastoral Development Project (KSADP), Ibrahim Garba Muhammad made this known on Sunday during a stakeholders engagement on Kano Stock Routes Demarcation, Monumention and Gazzettement.
According to him, the meeting is critical considering the approaching harvest season and the state government determined to prevent clashes, lost of lives and further ensure food security decided to embark the mission.
“We are here to have an interface with stakeholders on the issue stock routes.
We want to carry everyone along on the issue of demarcating this routes.
We all know what is happening around the country in terms of clashes between farmers and herders resulting in death and destructions.
Although the situation here is not that severe, but we want to strengthen the relationship between farmers and herders by demarcating where a farmer should farm and where a pastoralists can move freely”.
Garba added that, the state stock routes committee has been up and doing in it’s mandate of resolving crisis between the two bodies but the new move tends to find a lasting solution to the existing problems.
The Chairman Miyyetti Allah, Kano Branch, Capt. Abdullahi Bakoji Adamu (rtd) described the move as timely and commendable.
He assured the government of their support for the actualization of the project which he said will put an end to existing rifts between the two communities.
Also, the Chairman Kano Stock Routes Committee, Dr. Farouk Kurawa noted that many of these routes have been encroached and efforts are underway to retrieve them while those still exist will be protected.
He further added that the state government will enact laws for the protection of the routes in the state as part of it’s commitment to security, protection of lives and properties as well as to secure citizens’ means of livelihood amongst many others.
Additionally, Kurawa solicited the support of the Emir of Kano, HRH. Muhammad Sanusi II on the project by informing all district heads and other traditional leaders within the Emirate to support the project.