Breaking: Miyetti Allah Dumps Open Grazing, Agrees to Feedlot System in Ondo

The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has dumped the conventional open grazing system in Ondo State.

This is even as the Ondo State chapter of Miyetti Allah embraced the feedlot operational system as an alternative to open grazing

The Ondo State MACBAN Secretary, Mr. Ahmed Danna, the feedlot system will help herders increase profit and also end the age-long acrimony with the farmers.

Mr Danna stated this over the weekend at the end of a five-day training for corporate bodies, the general public, and other stakeholders with interest in agricultural value-chain business with special emphasis on feedlot operational system in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

The training was put together by the Ondo State Agricbusiness Empowerment Centre (OSAEC), in collaboration with Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), to train and certify 150 pastoralists in cattle, sheep, and goat value-chain business.

Danna, while noting that the training was a welcome development for MACBAN, said the use of technology for meat production would increase their produce and profit margin drastically.

Read Also: Police Arrest Two Brothers For Murder in Ondo

He further called on the national body and other cattle rearers to key into the initiative put in place by Ondo State government, and appealed for funding for participants for effective start-up.

Mr. Akin Olotu, Chairman of OSAEC, assured the participants that the adoption of the feedlot system would not only improve productivity and profit for the farmers, but also reduce the clashes with the host communities.

Olotu emphasized that the state government chose to re-enact the ranching system introduced by late Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the Western Region, and it is partnering notable financial institutions for funding.

On his part, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu charged participants to look out for opportunities that abound in the entire value-chain of agriculture

Akeredolu, who was represented by the Head of Service, Pastor John Adeyemi, emphasized that his administration saw the need to revamp and reintroduce feedlots as a variant of ranching with support of FAO.

He added that the move is another milestone geared towards creating jobs, ensuring food security and promoting peaceful co-existence among inhabitants of the state via eradication of farmers/herders clashes.