The Adamawa State Commissioner of Livestock, Alhaji Tijani Maksha, has voiced strong support for a recent panel recommendation led by Professor Attahiru Jega, which promotes a combined system of ranching and open grazing to address Nigeria’s enduring conflicts between farmers and herders. In an exclusive conversation with Arewa PUNCH on Thursday in Yola, Maksha highlighted the practical advantages of offering pastoralists both options, as it allows a gradual shift from traditional grazing methods to modern, sustainable practices.
“Introducing ranching while maintaining open grazing is the best way forward,” Maksha said, noting that an overnight shift away from open grazing—a longstanding cultural practice among herders—would be challenging. Reflecting on his earlier tenure as livestock commissioner under former Governor Murtala Nyako, Maksha recalled how three ranching zones were established across senatorial districts to foster peaceful coexistence and facilitate better educational access for herders’ children alongside those of farmers.
Maksha praised President Bola Tinubu’s creation of the Federal Ministry of Livestock, calling it a vital step for Nigeria’s economy and an opportunity to elevate the livestock sector to international standards. “Livestock contributes 35 per cent to Nigeria’s economy,” he observed, noting that it stands as one of the largest sectors in job creation for women and youth involved in animal husbandry.
He expressed optimism that, over time, ranching would become self-evidently advantageous, as pastoralists would likely embrace it voluntarily upon realizing its profitability.
