The Chief Executive Officer of Nice to Meat Ghana, Mr. Abdul Aziz has called on the Government and individual entities to invest massively into the cattle ranching system in Ghana to enhance quality meat production as well as finding a lasting solution to the Fulani/farmers menace in the country.
The system according to Mr. Abdul when well instituted will help curb the Fulani menace that has become a security threat to the country.
‘’If Ghana wants to develop the livestock sector, then there is the need to treat the clashes between the crop farmers and the nomadic herdsmen, so as to not scare investors away’’ he said, adding that there are a lot of technology now in the livestock sector and cattle ranching is the best option that can be adopted to make sure cattle rearing becomes interesting as well as producing wholesome meat for both local consumption and for export to stabilize the economy rather than depending on import.
He said cattle ranching provides pasture, water, and extension services to the animals as well as market to the farmers all season.Which will bring an end to movement of these animals therefore finding lasting solution to the issue at hand. The Government of Ghana launched the Cattle Ranching Project committee in March last year, by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the National Security in Accra. As part of steps by the government to fight the aggression between the farmers and the nomads.
The ’Ghana Cattle Ranching Project’ is tasked to find a lasting solution to the perennial challenges of herdsmen-crop farmers’ conflict that has persisted for several years now. The project is also expected to develop well-tested strategies to improve domestic ranching in the country. Membership of the committee was drawn from stakeholder groups including the Ministries of Food and Agriculture, Interior, Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Inner City and Zongo Development and National Security and professionals in the cattle industry and the Ghana National Association of Cattle Farmers.
Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Minister for Food and Agriculture, who inaugurated the Committee, said government would harness the skills and expertise of the Fulani herdsmen to develop the livestock industry in Ghana
Mr. Abdul Aziz showered praises on the government for their effort so far by setting up a committee to handle this simple but serious issue because intensive therefore government should intervene to ease the burden on the private sector. Mr Abdul Aziz said Ghana’s future is in the hands of agriculture therefore much attention is needed by successive governments to make sure the sector looks attractive to lure most of the university graduates into it rather than depending on the government for employment. ‘’Agriculture they say is back bone of our economy so if this statement is true then our leaders have a serious work to do to make sure this statement actually reflect on the ground by implementing juicy policies to push the graduate into it and to ease burden on the public purse’’ he concluded.
By Austin Ofori Addo/ritefmonline.org/austinofori.addo@gmail.com
