Cattle Ranching as a Panacea to Herdsmen Crises in Nigeria
Chapter One
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The main objective of this study is to investigate the efficacy of cattle ranching as a panacea to herdsmen crises in Nigeria; but to aid the successful completion of the study, the researcher intends to achieve the following specific objective;
- To ascertain the role of cattle ranching in combatting the herdsmen/farmers crises in Benue state
- To investigate the merit of ranching over open grazing in cattle production
- To examine the effect of open crazing on farm produce in Benue state
- To ascertain if there is any relationship between cattle ranching and cattle colony.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Introduction
Ranching − a method of raising livestock under range conditions − has been suggested as the best solution to the incessant Fulani herdsmen/famers crises. Ranching was picked as the best solution to the crises in a poll published on www.punchng.com on Tuesday. The poll respondents pointed out that since ranching is being practiced all over the world and has worked well in reducing conflicts between farmers and herdsmen, the model should also be adopted in Nigeria. In the poll, respondents were asked what they thought the solution to the crises was between creating a grazing range around the country and enforcing the ranching system on cattle rearers. Respondents were asked why they chose either of the options and they were given the option to suggest other solutions, in case they think neither of the two options would be adequate. Sixty-eight percent of the respondents were in favour of ranching as the solution, 14 percent think creating grazing range around the country could solve the problem, while 17.9 percent had other suggestions apart from creating grazing range around the country and enforcing ranching. One trend among respondents supporting the ranching option is that if one must rear cattle, one must be ready to bear the cost of feeding them without upsetting others in the process.
“The herdsmen should and must be able to feed their livestock not to the detriment of other people’s properties. Herdsmen, should be restricted to their ranches, we are living in a civilized world today,” a respondent said.
While supporting ranching, one respondent argue against grazing areas, saying “Ranching is the practice in all developing and developed world. Creating grazing fields won’t solve the problem because the cattle will still need to move from one grazing area to another. As long as they continue to move, they will continue to encroach on people’s farms.” “Ranching forces people to recognise that cattle keeping is a private affair and you should be willing to create the correct business environment and be willing to pay for it. In other words if you want a ranch in Owo then buy the land legitimately and keep your cattle and don’t trespass on other people’s properties,” a respondent said.
Respondents in support of grazing reserves appear to view the issue from the perspective of proper monitoring. They argue that security agencies will be able to monitor the herdsmen properly if there are designated grazing areas around the country. When all cattle gather to feed, their waste could be used to generate power. Also the security forces can identify with the cattle breeders and fish out the ones that don’t have a certificate of breeding,” another respondent said. “The nomadic way of rearing animals in Nigeria is outdated and will not meet current and future meat production in largest black nation. Nigeria government with the support of state and farmer associations should set up farms. This should be looked at from pure business rather than outdated and criminal free grazing. Any future killing or harassment of farmers should be treated as murder case and treason against the nation,” a respondent said. One respondent who said neither of the two options could give the best solution identified transportation of cattle to market as one major reason for moving the cattle around in the first place and not necessarily feeding. The respondent suggested that if a good transportation system could be used to connect the north and the south purposely for transporting livestock, then the issue would be resolved.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research design
The researcher used descriptive research survey design in building up this project work the choice of this research design was considered appropriate because of its advantages of identifying attributes of a large population from a group of individuals. The design was suitable for the study as the study sought to examine cattle ranching as a panacea to herdsmen crises in Nigeria
Sources of data collection
Data were collected from two main sources namely:
(i)Primary source and
(ii)Secondary source
Primary source:
These are materials of statistical investigation which were collected by the research for a particular purpose. They can be obtained through a survey, observation questionnaire or as experiment; the researcher has adopted the questionnaire method for this study.
Secondary source:
These are data from textbook Journal handset etc. they arise as byproducts of the same other purposes. Example administration, various other unpublished works and write ups were also used.
Population of the study
Population of a study is a group of persons or aggregate items, things the researcher is interested in getting information for the study cattle ranching as a panacea to herdsmen crises in Nigeria. 200 staff of ministry of agriculture, Benue state was selected randomly by the researcher as the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION OF DATA
Introduction
Efforts will be made at this stage to present, analyze and interpret the data collected during the field survey. This presentation will be based on the responses from the completed questionnaires. The result of this exercise will be summarized in tabular forms for easy references and analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of cattle ranching as a panacea to herdsmen crises in Nigeria
In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of cattle ranching as a panacea to herdsmen crises in Nigeria.
Summary
It is pertinent to state that this study was broken down into five chapters, chapter on one covers background of the study, statement of the problem, objective of the study, research hypotheses, significance of the study, scope and limitation of the study, operational definition of terms and organization of the study. In chapter two various relevant literature were reviewed under various sub-headings and theoretical underpinning which the study adopted, chapter three covers the research design, method of data collection, population of the study, sample and sampling procedure, validation of research instrument and method of data analysis. In chapter four various data collected were analyze and interpretation given, chapter five covers summary conclusion and recommendation.
Conclusion
Haven reviewed divers literature and data collected were dully scrutinized and analyzed, from the findings of the study, the researcher therefore conclude that Cattle ranching do have an advantage over open grazing in respect of farmers herdsmen crises in Benue state. As ranching will produce better quality of cattle and other agricultural product will not be damaged, lives and properties will be safe and secure which will in turn improve the economy of the state and ensure peaceful co-existence in the state.
Recommendations
Haven successfully completed the study, the researcher therefore recommends that;
- Since cattle is a private business federal government should formulate policies that will prohibit open grazing among cattle farmers
- The government should provide a soft loan scheme to cattle farmers to aid them in building of ranches
- State and federal government should build ranches and rent it to cattle farmers as a way of encouraging ranching in the country.
Reference
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