Top military officials advocate ranching, improved coordination to enhance Nigeria’s food security
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, has called on the National Assembly to pass legislation banning open grazing across Nigeria, citing its unsustainability and impact on food security.
Speaking at the National Summit on Food, Nutrition, and Food Security in Abuja, Lt-Gen. Oluyede, represented by Major General Olufemi Dare, Executive Director of the Nigerian Army Farms and Ranch, stressed that adopting ranching as a national policy is an urgent necessity.
The Nigerian Army has already established several formations to prevent recurring farmer-herder clashes, Open grazing is no longer sustainable. If we are serious about national food security, ranching must be implemented through legislation.
His remarks come amid growing concern over violent land disputes, declining agricultural productivity, and threats to national food supplies.
Also at the summit, the Chief of Naval Staff, represented by Rear Admiral Yusuf Sani Idris, highlighted the Nigerian Navy’s contribution to agricultural development through the Admiralty Farms Limited, which operates in nearly all six geopolitical zones.
From the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Assistant Commandant General Besong Ogar, speaking for the Commandant General, urged better information sharing and more coordinated efforts to protect farms from criminal activity.
He also called on lawmakers to streamline herder and farmer activities, citing ongoing tensions over encroached cattle routes particularly in the Middle Belt, North-East, and North-West regions.
Chairman of the House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, Dr. Chike Okafor, closed the session by reaffirming the committee’s commitment to enhancing national food security.
“We cannot achieve food security without peace,” he noted. “This committee will continue to work with all stakeholders, including the military and civil security agencies, to ensure a safer agricultural environment.”
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