The Alternative Bank, Varsity Showcase Alfalfa To End Farmers-Herders Conflicts

The Alternative Bank and the Plateau State University (PLASU) have showcased a breakthrough solution, Alfalfa, currently being described as a game-changer that could transform animal feed and ease the long-standing farmers-herders conflicts.

The Alternative Bank said this in a press statement in Lagos, adding that Alfalfa, the high-protein forage crop, now thriving in trials at Plateau State University (PLASU) with funding from The Alternative Bank, is being hailed as a game-changer that could also boost productivity.

The bank said the commendation of the initiative was made at the University’s Green Field Day on Alfalfa Adaptability and Performance Trials held recently at the university’s Faculty of Agriculture Research Plot in Bokkos, Plateau.

It said researchers, policymakers, farmers, agribusiness leaders, and development partners gathered to see first-hand how the initiative – handed over to PLASU in May 2025 under The Alternative Bank’s Corporate Social Investment programme – is advancing livestock feed solutions in Nigeria.

Preliminary results from the trials have been highly encouraging, showing clear viability under Plateau State’s weather and soil conditions.

Presenting his paper on ‘Alfalfa Adaptability and Performance under Plateau’s Climate’, the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture at Plateau State University and lead of the Alfalfa Project Research Team, Associate Prof Hosea Finangwai, reported that germination rates exceeded 85 per cent within two weeks.

Finangwai added that the crop adapted well to local soils, reaching heights of up to 66.5cm in 13 weeks – figures consistent with global benchmarks.

With projected biomass yields of over 18-20 tonnes per hectare annually for three cuttings under rain-fed conditions, Alfalfa is emerging as a viable, high-nutrition forage for Nigeria’s dairy and beef industries.

The researchers expect crude protein levels to align with international standards, reinforcing Alfalfa’s potential to strengthen livestock feed and reshape ruminant nutrition.

Speaking on behalf of Mr Hassan Yusuf, the chief executive officer of the Alternative Bank, the bank’s Head of Agric Finance, Mrs Ugonwa Ikegwuonu, described the trials as a milestone for Nigeria’s livestock sector.

“This is a breakthrough moment. Alfalfa can redefine livestock farming and secure Nigeria’s food future.

“Seeing students, researchers, and farmers interact around the trials proves the value of this partnership. PLASU has advanced science and created a model of how academia and financial institutions can collaborate to deliver sustainable agricultural solutions.

“This milestone strengthens our resolve and reinforces our mission to invest in initiatives that create wide-scale opportunities and foster economic resilience,” said Yusuf.

In his remarks, the vice-chancellor of PLASU, Prof Shedrack Best, represented by the deputy vice chancellor, Administration, Associate Prof Keziah Ayuba, commended The Alternative Bank for its pioneering support.

He noted that the project has positioned the university as a hub for agricultural innovation in Nigeria.

The Plateau State government, represented by the commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Sunday Akpa, applauded the collaboration and affirmed the state government’s readiness to scale up the project across all the local government areas as a pathway to unlocking the vast potential of the livestock value chain, enhancing rural livelihoods, and strengthening food security in the state.