Herders-Farmers Crisis: GoGreen launches AIPASD Project in Benue

From Dooshima Terkura Makurdi

A Non Governmental Organization (NGO), GoGreen Environmental Health Sustainability Initiatives (GoGreen), has held a one-day stakeholders engagement meeting/launch of AgroPastoral Integration for Peace and Sustainable Development (AIPASD) Project in Benue State.

The meeting was convened under the Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria (SPRiNG) Program, an initiative of supported by the UK Government through the Foreign and Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and implemented in partnership with Tetra Tech International Development.

Welcoming participants on Tuesday in Makurdi, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GoGreen, Jackson Ameh, represented by GoGreen Technical Lead, Dr Timothy Kyume, described the workshop as a significant milestone towards building a more peaceful, resilient and inclusive Benue.

Ameh stated that the initiative is both timely and critical noting that GoGreen is well aware of the persistent conflicts between farmers and herders have strained community relationships, disrupted livelihoods and worsened poverty and insecurity.

“Through AIPASD, we are working to shift the narrative by providing tools, knowledge and platforms for farmers and pastoralists to coexist peacefully, increase productivity through sustainable practices and build mutual trust and economic interdependence,” he said.

He further explained that the meeting was organized to brief stakeholders on the AIPASD project objectives and activities, align efforts with existing state development plans, promote inter-agency collaboration, and ensure the sustainability of the project beyond the life of the SPRiNG program.

Speaking during the, workshop, the Secretary of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, (MACBAN) in Benue state, Ibrahim Galma declared that open grazing was no longer sustainable in the country.

Galma who acknowledged that open grazing and crop farming cannot exist side by side without crisis has harped on the need for AgroPastoralists to adopt change and adopt world best practices to overcome climate changes.

He, however noted the need to train pastoralists on the various agro smart practices to enable them transform their current activities for better outcomes and livelihoods.

Galma commended GoGreen for the project, pledging to collaborate with them to mobilize his people for trainings and to contribute their quota to make the project a success.

The Benue State Chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria, AFAN, China Peters who lamented that for eight years most farmers in the state could not access their farmlands due to herders attacks, appreciated GoGreen for the initiative saying the pilot phase has helped farmers gain access to their farms from last year.

The DG of Bureau of Livestock Development and Transboundary Animal Diseases and Control, Dr Aondakaa Asambe said insecurity caused by herdsmen activities has become a national threat, saying there was need to foster sustained peace between AgroPastoralists.

Asambe urged the herders to embrace the federal government breed improvement program for greater output of livestock just as he cautioned that while they do their business, they must ensure their animals do not encroach on cultivated farmlands for the peace to be sustainable.

He noted that the federal government has created the Ministry of Livestock but left out making the open grazing prohibition law a national legislation.

While he noted that there cannot be peace if the law is not made a national law, Asambe urged Civil Society Organizations to champion an advocacy to the federal government for the President of the federal Republic of Nigeria to transmit an executive bill to the National Assembly for the establishment of the law prohibiting open grazing, adding that such law would serve as a springboard for sustainable peace.

Also speaking, the DG of Bureau for International Corporation and Development (BICD), Leonard-Angelo Viashima stated that the State Governor Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia has opened up Benue state for businesses saying government would continue to support local NGOs in their quest to attract businesses to the Benue to advance her economy, agriculture and entrepreneurship.

Viashima who appreciated GoGreen and it’s partners for finding Benue worthy pledged that BICD would provide coordination and ensure that all stakeholders are better informed to contribute their quota to peace and success of the project.

The Special Adviser to Governor Hyacinth Alia on Security and Internal Affairs, Chief Joseph Har, spoke on the complicated nature of insecurity in the state accused unscrupulous politicians, armed herders and illegal miners of fueling insecurity in the state.

He cautioned herders and other groups to end their evil activities in Benue state saying Governor Alia is doing a good job at delivering on his promises and needs to be supported to achieve them. “MACBAN make beautiful statements in public, let those statements be backed by action. MACBAN has pushed Benue yo the wall a d the peace we seek is not a sign of weakness,” he warned.

Other speakers, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Prof Moses Ogbaji, Commissioner for Power Transport and Renewable Energy, Omale Omale and well as that of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Aondowase Kunde and the DG of Peace and Reconciliation Commission, Josephine Habba, all hailed the project and pledged their support to enable it succeed.

GoGreen State Project Coordinator for SPRiNG project, Theodora Chia, said the SPRiNG program is designed to respond to persistent challenges or violence conflict and climate related pressure’s in Nigeria especially in benue by addressing the root courses of insecurity and enhancing their adaptive capacity of communities to vulnerable environment for a more stable and peaceful nation.

Meanwhile, the Program Manager of GoGreen Spring project, ThankGod Aromeh said AIPASD Project will be implemented in communities of Makurdi and Guma LGAs of the state to provide support to farmers and herders to transit to AgroPastoraliasm as part of a sustainable livelihood, address farmers-herders conflicts, strengthen communities peace building mechanisms among others.

Aromeh also said the AIPASD Project would strengthen the role of traditional institutions and local leaders in conflict prevention and resolution recognizing their central ruling maintaining social cohesion among others

The Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp, (NSCDC), Benue State Command, CC Alice Bitrus who was represented by the State Commander of Agro Rangers Unit, CSC Moses Ihom called for the establishment of ranches across the state. She assured that the unit would collaborate with GoGreen to ensure peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders in the state.

Participants at the launch include representatives of Government, Ministries, Departments and Agencies, development partners Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and Benue Non Governmental Organizations Network, (BENGONET), among others.