Ebonyi, Enugu Develop Integrated Ranches to Boost Livestock Production, Address Farmer-Herder Clashes
By Chibuzo Obidike | IchieTimes
The governments of Ebonyi and Enugu states are developing large-scale integrated livestock ranches aimed at modernising animal production and reducing persistent clashes between farmers and herders in the South-east.
In Ebonyi, the project coordinator of the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support, Victor Nwite, said the state was developing a 292-hectare integrated livestock ranch at Izziangbo in Ohaukwu Local Government Area.
According to him, the project, which commenced in 2024 with support from the World Bank, is designed to accommodate cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and micro-livestock.
Nwite said the state government had provided ₦150 million as counterpart funding, while planned facilities include an automated abattoir, artificial insemination centre, veterinary clinics, animal hospitals, livestock market, feed processing centres and a mini dam.
He explained that the initiative was intended to improve livestock production, strengthen climate resilience and promote commercial livestock farming.
In Enugu State, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro-Industrialisation, Patrick Ubru, said the government was establishing an integrated livestock development centre at Owo community in Nkanu East Local Government Area.
The proposed facility, covering more than 11,000 hectares and designed to accommodate up to 15,000 cattle, will include an automated meat processing facility, irrigated pasture and veterinary services.
Ubru said the project would support cattle rearing, dairy production and piggery while encouraging a gradual transition from open grazing to organised livestock management.
The Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria in Enugu State, Emma Ene, welcomed the initiative, saying organised ranching could help protect farmlands from cattle invasion and reduce disputes between farmers and herders.
However, the Secretary of the Hausa Quarters Cattle Dealers Association in Ebonyi, Salisu Mohammed, said cattle dealers were still awaiting the completion of the Ebonyi facility, appealing to the government to make the project operational.
In Anambra State, the Commissioner for Information and Value Reorientation, Law Mefor, said the state had no ranch and no immediate plans to establish one.
Mefor described relations between farmers and herders in Anambra as cordial, explaining that the state had a system for educating herders against allowing their cattle to stray into farmlands.
Meanwhile, the South-east Vice-President of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders, Gidado Sidikki, said ranching would improve livestock businesses, reduce friction and provide herders with access to education and organised living.
The developments highlight different approaches among South-east states to livestock production, with Ebonyi and Enugu pursuing integrated ranching projects while Anambra maintains its existing approach to managing farmer-herder relations.
