Ranching is the only road to ending farmers-herders clashes

For decades, Nigeria has been trapped in a relentless cycle of bloodshed between farmers and herders. Entire villages have been burned to the ground, families have been driven from their ancestral homes, and thousands have been slaughtered in conflicts that appear unending.

Agricultural production has been crippled, food inflation has surged to record highs, and national security has been severely undermined. Yet successive administrations have approached this crisis with half-hearted measures, shallow declarations, and political theatrics. The truth is plain to see: ranching remains the only viable pathway to bringing this tragedy to an end.

It is worth recalling that the relationship between farmers and herders was not always soaked in blood and distrust. In earlier generations, both groups shared a mutually beneficial arrangement. Farmers relied on cattle manure to enrich their lands, while herders used farm residues to feed their animals. It was a system that increased productivity and strengthened rural economies.

That fragile harmony collapsed under the weight of rapid population growth, dwindling arable land, climate change, desert encroachment, and decades of poor governance. What now remains is a landscape marked by suspicion, hatred, and violent reprisals that have displaced millions and left vast farmlands deserted.

Nigeria has lurched from one poorly designed policy to another without securing a lasting resolution. The National Grazing Reserve Bill of 2012, the National Grazing Bill of 2016, the controversial RUGA settlement plan of 2019, and a series of ad-hoc presidential interventions have all failed to deliver meaningful change.

Each initiative was either hijacked by opportunistic politicians or suffocated under layers of ethnic and religious tension. Political actors branded proposals as covert attempts to “Fulanise” the country, while others exploited the chaos to win favour with voters. At the end of these theatrics, ordinary Nigerians have been left to suffer the consequences.

The impact of this ongoing disaster goes beyond food supply. It is a security nightmare. Armed herders and embittered farmers have become easy recruits for militias, kidnappers, and terrorist groups. States such as Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, Kaduna, and Taraba have endured mass killings that verge on genocide. Crops are razed, cattle rustled, and entire communities descend into bloody cycles of vengeance.

This insecurity has decimated Nigeria’s agricultural value chain, increased reliance on food imports, and deepened hunger in a nation that possesses some of Africa’s most fertile soil. In economic terms, Nigeria loses billions annually due to abandoned farmlands and disrupted pastoral activities. The persistent rise in food prices, which now strangles households, cannot be separated from the bloodshed consuming farming belts.

Ranching, however, offers a credible solution. It is neither foreign nor impractical. Ranching is a globally recognised form of modern livestock management that confines herds to designated areas, improves milk and meat output, protects farmland, and puts an end to unchecked grazing. Nations such as Kenya, Brazil, and South Africa once grappled with similar conflicts but embraced ranching and reaped stability and agricultural growth. Nigeria has every reason to follow this path.

Recent calls for this transition from security and agricultural leaders are encouraging. The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, recently asserted that ranching is the only realistic route to stemming violence linked to herder–farmer clashes. His argument is difficult to dismiss: livestock must be contained if Nigeria hopes to modernise its agricultural sector and restore peace. The insistence on open grazing belongs to a bygone era.

The proposed Bill for an Act to Establish and Manage Ranches across all 774 Local Government Areas, championed by Senator Ned Nwoko, offers a glimmer of hope. The Bill calls for the creation of a Ranch Management and Development Agency tasked with regulation and enforcement, a move aligned with the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development’s vision to reform livestock production and end recurring conflicts.

To succeed, however, these initiatives must be shielded from political interference and ethnic manipulation. The Ministry of Justice must ensure airtight legislation that complies with the Constitution, while state governments must be fully engaged to dispel fears of federal dominance. Land allocation for ranches must respect community rights and actively involve locals, as past schemes that ignored grassroots participation only fuelled resentment.

It is also critical to depoliticise the farmers–herders crisis. Too often, this issue has been painted in divisive ethnic and religious colours, fracturing national unity. Traditional rulers, clerics, and community leaders must lead a sustained campaign to present ranching as an economic and security imperative rather than an ethnic concession. This is not a battle between Fulani and Tiv, Muslim and Christian, or North and South. It is a fight for survival, food security, and peace for all Nigerians.

The greatest obstacle remains political opportunism. For years, politicians have weaponised this conflict for electoral gain, portraying themselves as defenders of their ethnic or religious groups while lives are lost in Benue, Plateau, Southern Kaduna, and countless other communities. Such conduct is deeply irresponsible and cannot continue. The blood of innocent citizens should weigh heavily on the conscience of every leader.

The farmers–herders crisis is not a peripheral matter; it sits at the heart of Nigeria’s insecurity, its food scarcity, and its ethnic divisions. The government must now show courage by enforcing a nationwide ranching policy, and state governments must cooperate in good faith. Communities must approach the initiative without prejudice, while traditional institutions and religious leaders must spearhead grassroots advocacy.

Nigeria stands at a crossroads. Open grazing is an outdated and destructive practice that invites more violence, economic losses, and social unrest. Ranching, on the other hand, promises peace, increased productivity, and a more stable nation. The time for hesitation has passed. Choosing ranching is choosing survival.