The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Mohammad Abubakar, has called on stakeholders to partner with government to bring lasting solution to farmers and herders conflicts in the region.
Abubakar made the call in Abuja on Monday at the Regional summit on Human and Climate Security challenges and farmer and herder conflict resolution in the livestock sector.
The theme of the summit is ” Promoting Peace and Climate Security in the Crop and Livestock farming sectors”.
Abubakar said the summit is aimed at providing an opportunity for dialogue and discourse, on the way forward for achieving peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders .
He said that the incessant conflicts between farmers and herders in the region was threatening food and national security in Nigeria.
The minister said that the actors, famers and herders were the best tool to bring about a lasting solution to the conflicts.
” The livestock industry in Nigeria and West Africa has huge potential for sustainable employment of millions of people through its numerous value chains.
” I encourage you to brainstorm, discuss and compare notes as national and regional key players in the livestock industry and climate security sector,“he said.
He urged them to arrive at common objective which is to promote regional peace and climate security in the livestock sector.
The minister said that surge in the age-long conflict has been recently attributed to the change in nature and access to natural resources (land and water) in the region.
In her remarks, the minister of State, FCT, Dr Ramatu Aliyu, said the upsurge in conflict between farmers and herders also pose a threat peaceful co existence between communities.
Aliyu said that it is a known fact that the agricultural sector across the globe is exposed to the potentials hazards of climate change.
She said these were reflected in surging temperatures, unstable rainfall patterns, and outbreak of pest and diseases among others.
In a goodwill message, Rep. Munir Dan- Agundi, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture Colleges and Institutions, said that the meeting was timely.
He said that livestock and humans depended on what is produced for survival.