Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Michael Aondoakaa, has urged the Federal Government to rethink its approach to ranching and make private ranching the centre of its livestock development policy.
Aondoakaa made the recommendation during an interview on ARISE TV on Monday, arguing that government should create the conditions for ranching while leaving the actual establishment and operation of ranches to private investors.
According to the former AGF, the government should provide infrastructure, improve cattle breeds and facilitate access to affordable financing for livestock farmers.
He said the approach could follow the model used in sectors such as poultry and rice, where government provides an enabling environment for private-sector investment.
“My understanding is that ranching should be done in a way the right value chain was created,” he said.
Aondoakaa also identified cattle improvement as an important part of developing a commercially viable livestock industry.
He advocated crossbreeding to improve milk production, saying better breeds could increase the commercial value of cattle farming.
“First, let us crossbreed the cattle that we have now so that they can have genetically modified breeds that can give sufficient milk for commercial trading,” he said.
The former AGF further called for single-digit interest loans to enable livestock farmers establish sustainable ranches and repay their financing through proceeds from their businesses.
He questioned the rationale for government directly establishing ranches for private livestock owners.
Aondoakaa asked whether the Federal Government would similarly establish cocoa farms for farmers in the South-West or yam farms for farmers in Benue State.
He warned that a government-led ranching programme could worsen tensions in communities already affected by farmer-herder disputes.
“It’s a welcome policy but it should be private-sector driven, not public-sector driven,” he said.
According to him, private ranching could also create opportunities for cooperation between livestock owners and crop farmers.
He explained that crop farmers could produce specialised grass and other cattle feed, which ranch owners could purchase for their livestock.
Such a value chain, he argued, would create economic benefits for both groups while reducing suspicion and tensions within host communities.
Aondoakaa also expressed concern that direct government involvement could raise questions among communities over the acquisition and use of land.
He maintained that a privately driven ranching system would provide a “win-win situation” for farmers and livestock owners while supporting efforts to reduce farmer-herder conflicts.
