President Bola Tinubu has directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to spearhead efforts through the National Economic Council (NEC) to identify and rehabilitate grazing reserves nationwide for conversion into ranches.

The President said the move was crucial to ending recurring conflicts between farmers and herders and to unlocking economic value in Nigeria’s livestock sector.

Speaking during the Federal Executive Council meeting at the State House, Abuja, Tinubu tasked the NEC with exploring viable grazing reserves in various states that could be converted into livestock settlements.

“Again, especially livestock reform, I think the Vice President should get the NEC first of all to see which villages or grazing reserves can be salvaged or rehabilitated into Ranches, Livestock settlements,” Tinubu said.

The President emphasised that the longstanding herder-farmer clashes must be addressed with practical solutions that also yield economic returns.

“We must eliminate the possibility of conflicts and turn the livestock reform into economically viable development. The opportunity is there. Let’s utilise it,” he stated.

Tinubu further noted that since land belongs to the states, the NEC must work within the constitutional framework to secure willing states for the conversion process.

“And it is in NEC, if we exercise the constitutional requirement which states that the land belongs to the states, whichever one they can salvage and convert to a livestock village, let us stop this conflict area and turn it into economic opportunities and prosperity,” he added.

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