Open grazing: Taraba varsity don writes Tinubu, insist practice will deepen farmers/herders division

From Godwin Agia, Jalingo

A University don, Prof. John Tyavbee Ajai of the Taraba state University Jalingo has called on President Bola Tinubu to turndown a section of recommendation by the Presidential Livestock Reforms Implementation Committee.
Ajai, a professor of Mathematics in an open letter to the president dated, 24.Sep. 2024, and made available to journalists on Saturday in Jalingo, insisted that the recommendation of the committee that open grazing be permitted to continue for another decade would rather deepen farmers/herders division.
According to the university don, the situation will heighten the risk of violent clashes and further exacerbate the humanitarian crisis, destabilized local economy and jeopardized the nation’s food security.
Ajai who commended however that the establishment of the Presidential Livestock Reforms Implementation Committee was a testament to president Tinubu’s government commitment to resolving the farmers/herders crisis, expressed that the growing population and the competition for land and water resources is a clear indication that time has come to transit from Open Grazing to a modern global best practice of livestock business.
“Your Excellency, your dedication to fostering peace, security and development is deeply appreciated by all well-meaning Nigerians. However, I feel compelled to respectfully bring to your attention a matter of great concern regarding the Committee’s recommendation that open grazing be permitted to continue for another decade.
“With all due respect, I am gravely concerned that this approach may inadvertently prolong the conflicts and tensions that have been so destructive to our agricultural communities, particularly in regions like mine”.