The Vice Chancellor, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Professor Eyitope Ogunbodele on Wednesday declared that the only solution to the frequent clashes between crop and livestock farmers across the country is for the Federal Government to legislate against free range of domestic animals.
Ogunbodede made this known in his address at the opening of 2018 annual in-house review exercise of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), Moore Plantation, Ibadan, with the theme, “Agricultural Research and Sustainable Food and Raw Materials Promotion: The Challenges of Climate Change”.
The OAU VC who lamented that domestic animals like cattle often wilfully destroyed farms and caused clashes between crop and livestock farmers, also advised the government to discourage all activities that led to deforestation and promote afforestation.
He also advised that efforts must be put in place to reduce effects of climate change by supporting activities that were capable of militating against climate change for food security, industrial growth and survival of the nation’s economy.
Ogunbodede, while speaking further, said Nigeria will be food and nutritionally secured if government could guarantee market to farmers by removing the activities of middlemen in marketing of agro-materials and food crops.
He said “Federal Government should legislate against free range of domestic animals that often wilfully destroy farms and causing clashes between crop and livestock farmers (cattle herdsmen).
“Government should discourage all activities that lead to deforestation and promote afforestation. We cannot flog the issue of inadequacy in animals budgetary allocation to agriculture which has never enjoyed the 10% international recommendation. Government should provide more funds to National Research institutes.”
He added that “Nigeria will be food and nutritionally secured if government will promote a guaranteed market to farmers and the activities of middlemen be removed from marketing of agro-materials and food crops.”
Ogunbodede further stated that “education on the effect of climate change should form an integral part of school curriculum to be taught at all levels of agricultural science.
“Subsidy on agriculture by governments should target farming activities that can stem the effect of global warming and climate change. This subsidy should focus more on those farming activities that can address water, energy and chemical changes of production.
“We should all go extra mile to support activities and programmes that are capable of mitigating climate change for enhanced food security desirable industrial growth and survival of the national economy”.
Executive Director of IAR&T, Professor James Adediran while highlighting feats recorded by the institute in the last one year, however, urged state governments to revive the agricultural development programmes, which he said served as bridge between the research institutes and local farmers.
Adediran disclosed that the institute had trained no fewer than 700 unemployed youths from various parts of the county in livestock production.
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