Co-habitation By Herders, Farmers Not Sustainable, Says Ex-Benue Gov Ortom

Immediate-past governor of Edo State, Samuel Ortom, has called for a nationwide adoption of ranching as a sustainable solution to the persistent clashes between farmers and herders across Nigeria, citing international best practices as a model Nigeria must emulate.

Speaking on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ programme on Monday evening, the former governor noted that countries with significantly larger cattle populations have successfully avoided such conflicts by modernising livestock management through ranching.

“In Argentina, America, South Africa, all the cattle they have is more than what is in Nigeria,” he said. “What is the global best practice in all these countries where there are no crises? They ranch.”

Ortom emphasised that open grazing was outdated and impractical in a modern and densely populated society like Nigeria, where competition for land is intense.

According to him, the persistent tension between herders and farmers stemmed from outdated methods of cattle rearing that bring both groups into direct competition over land and water resources.

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“There is no way cattle rearing and farmers can co-habit,” he said firmly. “It’s a recipe for continued crisis.”

The former governor’s remarks comes amid renewed national debate over insecurity in agrarian communities, following a string of violent clashes and reported attacks linked to farmer-herder disputes in parts of the Middle Belt and South-West Nigeria.

Ortom urged the federal government to take decisive action and implement a nationwide ranching policy, similar to what is already being practised in countries that have successfully transformed their livestock industry. He maintained that ranching not only reduces conflict but also improves the productivity, health, and market value of cattle.

“Ranching is not just a security solution; it is also an economic one,” he added, warning that failure to act would only deepen the food insecurity crisis already facing the country.