Herders inversion of farms, sabotage to FG’s planned food sufficiency — Gomo III

By Abba – Eku Onyeka

Gomo the III of Karmo Sabo, a village in the Federal Capital City (FCC), Abuja the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Umaru Garni Sarkin Karmo has noted with concern that if not curtailed, the alleged destruction of farms by herders in Karmo and environs would sarbotage the Federal Government (FG) planned food sufficiency and security in his area and environs.

“Unless other ways are looked into; if not with this problem now, I think there will be a very big problem; there will be no sufficiency of food supplies in the country, especially in this our locality here, because if you farm and somebody went and destroy it all, where do you think he will get another one? As you know, he can’t replant and get them grow again. We are almost getting out of the rainy season and some crops have their own seasonal periods; once they are done, that is the end of it,” the village chief stated.

Recall that in order to achieve food sufficiency and security and also boost the economy through non oil sector like agriculture, the FG had to ban importation of rice and other food items that could be produced locally in the country.

While speaking to our correspondent in his palace yesterday the village chief called on the governments at all level to intervene before things get out of hand.

He said: “I thank God for everything, but there is a very big set back in our farms in this community; a lot of complains has been coming to me concerning herders. It is unfortunate that after having spent the whole season farming, the herders would come with their cows to your farm in the night and finish up all the farm produce. This has been the report, day in day out in the palace. We don’t know what will be the yielding of crops this year.

“As I am talking to you about four people have been here this morning with the same report. A woman came here crying that she went to her farm few day ago and discovered that the maize in her farm was ready for havesting. She said that getting to the farm for their harvesting the next day, the whole corn were eaten up by cows. This has been a great set back in agricultural within my community and environs.”

Though he couldn’t quantify the amount they have lost to the herders in their farms, as his people uses manual labor and fertilize, he informed that one of the
women said that she spent over N40, 000 in her farm.

Regretting that most of their farm lands have been taken by estate developers, Chief Umar Garni Sarkin Karmo however allegedly reiterated that the small portion left for them which according to him was not enough for them as farmers were being used for grazing, this denying them the opportunity to go into their age-long occupation, being farming

He however informed that he has several time engaged the Fulani leaders of the herders in discussions and dialogue on the way out of the problems, but all, according ro him has so far resulted in vain, even as he added that they agree to continue to meet, untill a final solution is achieved.

Reiterating the need for the government to come to their aid and intervene between the farmers and the herders, with the belief that the government has all it takes to do it, the village head advised the herders to caution their children and direct them to stop feeding their cows on farmers crops. Rjis he said may resultnto.other thinhs if not done.
Urging the farmers to continue to be law abiding, he informed that the farmers once arrested some of the herds that were destroying their farms, brought them to the palace which said he settled amicably. He said he advised them to not arrest the herds in the future, but try to identify the owners of such herds.