From Maiharaji Altine Gusau
A Senator, representing Zamfara North Senatorial Zone in Zamfara state, Senator Sahabi Ya,u has organized a two-day workshop for the training of 250 stakeholders in RUGA development.
The workshop which took place at the Polytechnic Kaura-namoda was organized by Rahusa Ventures Limited in collaboration with AMSAG Development and Public Health Consulting Ltd.
This was announced by Governor Bello Matawalle in Kaura-namoda during the stakeholders training and step down mobilization on RUGA Development organized by Rahusa Ventures, sponsored by Senator Sahabi Yau Kaura.
Speaking at the occasion, the consultant for the workshop, Dr. Abdullahi Maiwada said, the aim of the workshop was was to conceptualize what Senator Sahabi Ya,u has conceived as the solution to the financial and economic problem bedeviling the entire Northern region as well as Zamfara state and in particular the Zamfara North Senatorial Zone.
Dr. Maiwada said it was in that regard and to complement the efforts of the Zamfara state Government’s policy regarding the rural grazing areas, Senator Ya,u felt that, it was good to come up with the RUGA development project as part of his constituency program.
He maintained that, “Today we have concluded step down training and mobilization activity for our rural community members”.
Dr. Maiwada said the workshop would go down to grassroots to ensure that the rural dwellers, herders, farmers, political and traditional rulers as well as other key stakeholders were brought together to ensure better understanding of how to provide their own rural grazing areas in order to solve farmers- Fulani clashes that have bedeviled the some parts of the country for decades.
He maintained that the workshop would make people to understand that, they have a duty to provide for themselves an area where herders could take their and graze them.
The workshop acccording to Dr Maiwada would also provide quality production of both meat and milk and also provide job opportunity for many people.
He said, “250 participants were selected from the three local government areas of Zamfara North Senatorial Zone who are mainly farmers, herders, traditional and political leaders”.
Maiwada said, by the time, the stakeholders were able to organize their own grazing lands, the issue of Fulani herders clash, banditry and cattle rustling would be minimised or be completely wiped out.
He commended Senator Sahabi Yau for organizing the workshop as part of his constituency project, calling on all the politicians in the state to emulate him.
In his speech, Governor Bello Matawalle said arangements have been concluded by the state government to import goats and cows from South Africa and Norway as part of its efforts to develop RUGA settlements in the state.
The Governor who was represented by the Commissioner of Forestry and Livestock Development, Dr. Ibrahim Abdullahi said, the animals would be kept at RUGA in Maradun local government area to serve as a model as part of the state government’s efforts in developing RUGA settlements.
“We have since placed an order and the animals would arrive in the state soon”.
Matawalle said, the sum of N2.4 billion was spent on the construction of RUGA in Maradun local government area, adding that, it was almost in completion stage.
He stressed that, a total sum of N8.6 billon was earmarked for the construction of three RUGA settlements in the three Senatorial Zones in the state.
A Professor of Rural SociologyFederal University Birnin Kebbi, A. Tukur Baba who presented a paper at the occasion said, due to the growing population, the land for roaming about and nomadism was no more available.
Acccording to him, the population of the country in 1911 was just 50 million people but in 2013, it rose to 213 million, lamenting that, “We are roaming around in the same space”.
He said that, ‘We cannot go on like this. Not only the space is not there, but the demand for livestock products for the growing population should be paid attention to”.
“We have to improve on our method both in crops production and livestock production because there is more market and more demands.”
Professor Baba said that there must be an improvement in the welfare of the animals because because the human beings depend on the well fed animals to survive.
He stressed that, the Government at all levels should wake up and do something towards improvement the welfare of the herders who acccording to him are living in poor condition.
He maintained that, apart from construction of RUGA settlements, the Government should ensure the availability of aminal feeds, water and security so that the herders could find a place to live and stop roaming around in the farmlands which he said was one of the reasons for Fulani herders clash.
Professor Baba however explained that, the herders should be made to understand that, the Ruga settlements belong to them and as such they should take proper care of all the settlements.
He suggested that certain amount of money should be charged by the government so that the herders too could contribute financially for the sustainability of the grazing lands.
He said, “The State Government should not shoulder all the responsibilities alone. We can teach the herders to take other responsibilities”.
He cited as example with Gidan-jaja grazing lands which was constructed in the early seventies by the Sokoto Native Authority but was left to decay due to lack of commitment by the pastoralists.
Professor Baba commended the efforts of Senator Sahabi Yau for organizing the workshop and called on the participants to make the best use of it in order to enhance livestock production.
