Plateau State Association United Kingdom (PSA UK) has called on President Bola Tinubu to suspend the proposed National Ranching Policy pending consultations with affected communities and a comprehensive assessment of its implications.
President of PSA UK, Dr Solomon Chollom, who made the call in a statement on Thursday, urged the Minister of Livestock Development, Mr Idi Mukhtar Maiha, to halt further implementation of the policy and engage communities and other stakeholders before proceeding.
Chollom said the Federal Government should not pursue agricultural and livestock policies in a manner that could create the impression that the interests of one sector or group were being placed above the security, land rights, dignity and livelihoods of other Nigerians.
“For people who have lost relatives, homes and access to ancestral farmlands, policies involving land for cattle production are not merely economic policies.
“They raise deeply sensitive questions about security, ownership, justice, rehabilitation, return and the future of their communities.
“It is even more troubling that the repeated cries of displaced communities for the reclamation of their ancestral homes, rehabilitation and safe return have not received the level of urgency and commitment expected from government,” the statement read.
The association said the concerns were particularly significant in the Middle Belt, where communities had experienced prolonged violence, displacement and destruction of lives, homes, farms and livelihoods.
It called for direct engagement with affected communities, states, local governments, farmers, traditional institutions, agricultural experts and other stakeholders, as well as rigorous assessment of the policy’s social, economic, security and environmental implications.
The group said changing the names of previous livestock initiatives did not automatically address community concerns, stressing that consultation should precede policies capable of affecting land and community relations.
“Changing the name of a policy does not automatically remove the fears of the people.
“Insisting on implementation without adequately addressing these concerns risks portraying government as detached from the realities and anxieties of the people.
“Listening to the people is not weakness. Engagement is not surrender. Consultation is the very foundation of democratic governance.”
PSA UK also questioned what it described as the recurring emphasis on cattle-focused interventions, saying Nigeria’s agricultural policy should be holistic and support poultry, fisheries, crop production, potato and vegetable value chains, tubers, cereals, food processing, storage, irrigation and agricultural technology.
The association said agricultural development should reflect regional realities, environmental conditions and the expertise of communities rather than impose a uniform approach across the country.
It further urged government to ensure that support for livestock did not create the impression that one category of agricultural enterprise was receiving exceptional privileges while farmers in other sectors struggled to access land, capital, infrastructure and other support.
The group maintained that it was not opposed to agriculture or development but wanted policies that would promote inclusion, protect communities and build trust.
“Nigeria does not need policies that deepen existing fears. Nigeria needs policies that build trust.
“The people are not opposed to agriculture. They are not opposed to development. They are asking to be heard, respected, consulted and protected.
“A government that listens before it acts will earn the trust of its people. A government that carries communities along will build lasting peace,” the group emphasised.
PSA UK therefore called for a holistic review of the proposed National Ranching Policy, respect for constitutional and land rights, and meaningful plans for the rehabilitation and return of communities displaced by violence before implementation.
