The new Ministry of Livestock Development will this year establish ranches in seven states across the Federation.

Checks by Nigerian Tribune revealed that two of the ranches will be in South west states of Lagos and Ogun while another two will be located in Imo and Cross River states in the south east and south south zones, respectively.

Two North East states of Adamawa and Taraba will equally have ranches along with the North West state of Kebbi.

The 2025 Budget sighted by Nigerian Tribune revealed that a total sum of N315m has been allocated to establish the ranches.

Aside from the allocation for ranches, the new Ministry with a total budget sum of N 11.8 Billion also made provision for poultry domestication farms in Delta, Abia and Bauchi states with a total sum of N150 million.

The Ministry budget has an overhead component of N1,800,000,000 and capital component of N10 billion.

A total sum of N600m has been allocated for provision of “Solar Powered in Livestock Production Communities in 30 Federal Constituencies of Nigeria.

Curiously, it also has N50 Million as provision of solar powered street lights for grazing reserves.

Further checks revealed that to address the mutual hostility between farmers and herders, the sum of N86 million has been allocated.

According to the budget, N85million will be spent on Stakeholders engagement with Governors, traditional rulers, leaders of thought on farmers – herders conflict at federal and state levels.

A total sum of N101m has been allocated for “establishments of Farmers and Herders Conflict Resolution Mechanism in Community, Ward, LGA, and State Levels.

The New Ministry also made provision for N97million as total expenditure to ” Establish a performance management system platform to Track Staff Performance.”

Nigerian Tribune checks revealed that the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration had last July approved the creation of a new Ministry of Livestock Development at the inauguration of the Renewed Hope livestock reform implementation committee at the State House, Abuja.

The committee was mandated to provide sector-focused solutions to address the age-long farmers-herders crisis.

Recall that on September 14, 2023, the National Livestock Reforms Committee had recommended that Tinubu create a “Ministry of Livestock Resources” to, among other deliverables, reduce the decades-long gory conflict between farmers and nomadic cattle herders nationwide.(Nigerian Tribune)