Speaker Abbas has attributed the farmer-herder challenges to climate change, citing its role in reducing available resources, forcing farmers and herders to compete for limited land to grow crops and find fodder
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas (APC Kaduna) has pointed out that climate change has contributed to worsening farmer-herder clashes in the country.
Abbas, represented by Rep.Dickson Takighir (APC Benue), spoke at a stakeholders forum on addressing the impact of climate change on farmer-herder clashes in Nigeria organised by the office of the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Environment on Wednesday.
He underscored how shifting climate patterns exacerbate resource scarcity, fueling clashes as herders migrate into agricultural lands in search of greener pastures.
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The forum featured the documentary “Behind the Valley,” which is a story of climate change and farmer-herder conflicts in Benue State.
Abbas called for modernization in farming and herding practices and highlighted the limitations of the Land Use Act in facilitating necessary changes. He proposed adopting global best practices, such as ranching, to mitigate the crisis exacerbated by climate change.
He said the timing could not have been at a better period in efforts at halting the farmer-herder clashes.
“Climate change is a topic that has commanded huge global attention for its many effects on life here on earth. Farmer-Herder clashes have had a similar troubling prominence in our country. The one has exacerbated the challenges of the other.
“As someone from one of the hotspots (Kaduna)of the Farmer-Herder clashes, I am not new to the subject. Indeed, It is true that, in many parts of the country, farming communities have been deserted with terrible repercussions on food security.
“Climate change has worsened the farmer-herder challenges. Farmers and herders alike, now compete for less resources from which to draw crops and fodder. Distortions in rainfall patterns being the result of climate change, have led to desertification. In search of greener pasture, herders have continued to migrate and into farming communities.
“Given the trend, without regulation, there’s bound to be clashes and crises, we are already there.”
He regretted that a plethora of efforts by the federal and state governments aimed at addressing the problem had achieved little success.
Abbas said recently, the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, created the livestock ministry in an effort to have a federally coordinated approach towards animal husbandry.
This, he said, is a first of many vital steps towards uniformly addressing animal husbandry standards nationwide.
Abbas emphasized that there is a need to rid ourselves of outdated herding and farming methods.
“Of the countries in the world that are top of the charts in the cattle business, many of them equally hold similar top positions on a variety of farm crops as well. Obviously, these nations hold ready templates for us on how best to engage and excel in these businesses without the sort of crisis we routinely have on our hands here.
“Statistics suggest, ranching has become the way to go. The numbers in cattle and in the profits from countries that ranch cattle, make questionable, our continued romance with nomadic husbandry of cattle.
“However, the transition from nomadic herding to ranching, poses challenges in cultural attachment, ignorance, a lack of capital, lack of political will, lack of national legislation etc. There is, therefore, a need to chart a nationally acceptable direction towards international best practices in the cattle industry.
“Similarly, global trends in farming amidst climate change, will have to be adopted. This requires a transition that has similar challenges as above. But we must all commit in legislation and purpose; resources and political will, to see to this transition.
“The Land Use Act puts limitations on how much the Federal Government and for that matter, the National Assembly, can go to making these changes. With State Governors holding the aces on land use, the need for collaboration between States and the Federal Government in the face of a crisis worsened by climate change, is strongly advised.
“We must engage in smart Agriculture, across board. The numbers from other countries compel us to rid ourselves of cultural practices that must now evolve.
“Without doubt, the status quo is outdated and a way forward is urgently needed. We must commit to stakeholder interaction including sharing (on this subject) of educational material such as those by today’s event, in order to further make more persuasive, the case for the transition that must happen in our Agricultural practices,” he said.
In his contribution, the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Environment, Rep. Terseer Ugbor ( APC Benue), called for collaborative efforts to address the challenges posed climate change.
He said, “In the heart of West Africa, a relentless transformation is unfolding, driven by the invisible hand of climate change. Across the Sahel region, the once verdant pastures that sustained nomadic herders for centuries are succumbing to the encroaching desert, their vitality sapped by rising temperatures and erratic rainfall. This ecological upheaval has set in motion a wave of migration, as herders are compelled to venture southward in search of sustenance for their livestock.
“The ripple effects of this forced displacement have been felt acutely in north central Nigeria, particularly in the Benue valley. This has ignited a cycle of violence with farmers bearing the brunt of the conflict, leading to the deaths and displacements of thousands of people.
“According to the International Crisis Group, between 2013 and 2022, there were over 1,800 deaths and 2.5 million people displaced from their homes due to clashes between herders and farmers in Nigeria.
“In proffering solutions to this humanitarian crisis, we have designed this initiative to address the problem of affordable green housing for displaced persons, restoration of degraded farming and grazing lands, training and capacity building, resource and water management, renewable energy integration, and peace building through dialogue and mediation.
“I therefore invite you to collaborate, partner, support and donate to this climate mitigation and adaptation initiative for the present and future stability of Nigeria and the peaceful coexistence of our peoples.” he added.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, represented by his Senior Special Assistant, Technical, Prof. Bolaji Babatunde, highlighted in his keynote address the harsh reality of climate change’s severe impact on humanity. He stated that the physical changes in the global atmosphere, driven by human activities over the past century, are now widely acknowledged and understood as the consequences of climate change.
Akume noted that the growing recognition of climate change as a threat to human existence signals the need for global development and protection policies to center around this issue. He emphasized that climate change is a key factor hindering the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and poses a direct threat to efforts aimed at reducing extreme poverty.
Citing research, Akume pointed out that desertification is no longer a myth, with visible sand dunes along Nigeria’s borders. He explained that climate change stressors have led to the destruction of more than 200 villages, displacing entire communities. These impacts, he noted, are shrinking Nigeria’s landmass and depleting natural resources, fueling conflicts among communities vying for more fertile and safer areas.
Despite these challenges, Akume expressed optimism that through collective efforts, a lasting solution to the farmer-herder conflict can be achieved.
Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Ishaq Salako, and Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, echoed the need for integrated solutions and proactive measures to confront the challenges posed by climate change.
