Following the lingering crisis between farmers and Fulani herdsmen, the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA) has thrown its weight behind plans by the government to resolve this crisis through the establishment of ranches across the country.
This was contained in a Communique issued at the end of the 5th Annual Congress of Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association, held in Kano.
NVMA in the Communique, expressed fears over the continued threat to food security as a result of the unending crisis between farmers and herdsmen across the country.
“Congress expressed fears on the continued threat to national food security by the farmer/herder conflicts across diverse geo-political zones in the country.
“Congress supports the determination of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development towards resolving the crisis through promotion of cattle ranching as a viable alternative for improved economic livestock production in Nigeria”.
Furthermore, during a press conference, the National President of NVMA, Dr Godwin Abonyi, was asked if they Association is being carried along in the process to ending the conflicts among farmers and herdsmen, he said the Association was being scantily represented.
His words: “We don’t have enough of our personnel in the system, we are being carried along in the process to address the farmers/herdsmen crisis, but not enough because we don’t have enough veterinarians in the field even to implement some of those policies,
Also, the Communique called on the Federal government to increase the budgetary allocation to livestock sub-sector. NVMA also called on the government to constitute a technical committee of animal and human health professionals to work out strategies to contain Monkey pix disease and other zoonotic diseases.
“Congress reviewed the budgetary allocation and fund released for the livestock sub-sector in agriculture and observed the gross inadequacy. Congress called on government at all levels to significantly increase funding to enable the livestock sub-sector attain its full potential in the current diversification of national economy.
“Congress addressed the current outbreak of the monkey pox diseases in Nigeria and call on the Federal government to constitute an all encompassing technical committee of animal and health professionals to work out strategies for the containment of emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases.
Meanwhile, Dr Abonyi during a press conference said “we have the department of veterinary public health at the Federal ministries and States, but what we are calling on now is funding to make those body of government very functional to be able to contain these zoonotic diseases, it is a global problem, 60 to 75 per cent of infection diseases we have in the world today are coming from animals”.
The Congress also expressed worry over the upsurge in international trade in hides and skin of donkeys from Nigeria, and the increased number of donkeys slaughtered for this purpose.
The Congress cautioned against this practice which it said can lead to extinction of donkeys, and also advised that the Federal government should put in place policies that will promote breeding and discourage indiscriminate slaughtering.