The Project Coordinator Gombe State Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES) Professor Usman Bello Abubakar has expressed the project’s readiness to collaborate with AGRO RANGERS a security unit under the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to address the incessant conflicts between farmers and herders in the state, which has become a source of concern to stakeholders and threat to food security in the country.
This was according to a press statement signed by the communication officer of the project Umar Baba Kumo on Friday.
The Project Coordinator made this known when he received a team of Agro Rangers led by its head Assistant Commandant of Corps Emmanuel Onyeke Idoke at the L-PRES conference room, as part of the project engagements with relevant stakeholders towards boosting livestock production in the state.
Professor Abubakar explained that, it was in recognition of the importance of security and peaceful co-existence for the success of both the Agric and Livestock sectors that the state government under the L-PRES Project in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Cooperatives inaugurated Peace and Conflict Management Committees across the eleven local Government areas of the state to bring an end to such conflicts which has affected the output and other value chain activities in the sector.
He further lamented the arbitrary killing of livestock and destruction of farm produce in some communities which he said have impacted negatively on the deplorable food security situation in the country and urged the Agro Rangers to help consolidate the efforts made so far by the state government, pledging to collaborate with the unit in bringing lasting solutions to farmers and herders conflict in the state.
Earlier in his remarks, the Gombe State Agro Rangers Unit Commandant, Emmanuel Onyeke Idoke said the essence of the visit was to introduce the unit staff and discuss on a practical framework to promote peace building which is essential in curbing conflicts between farmers and herders in the state.
The Assistant Corps Commandant who commended the L-PRES Coordinator and the project team for the warm reception accorded them hinted that, Agro Rangers have contributed in restoration of security in many states where banditry and kidnapping has become threat to food security.
He further explained that more efforts will be channelled towards promotion of peaceful co-existence and use of Alternative Dispute Resolutions to restore trust and confidence among farmers and herders and the wider society which he said would go a long way in boosting livestock and food production in the state and the country at large.
He said the unit will do everything possible to support the L-PRES Project to achieve its mandate particularly in the area of security for livestock farmers.
Agro Rangers is a special security unit under the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps trained to provide forest security and safety against the recurring farmers/herders conflicts and protection of other Agro- allied products and investments in the nation, also serving as mediators in conflicts prone areas.
