President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s dedication to addressing the ongoing conflicts between farmers and herders in Nigeria, a crisis that has resulted in numerous fatalities and poses a threat to food production across several states.
The violence stemming from disputes over water and land access has been exacerbated by a decade-long insurgency by Islamist extremists, which has caused the deaths of tens of thousands in northeast Nigeria. According to Amnesty International, the farmer-herder conflict alone accounted for 3,641 deaths between 2016 and 2018.
At a signing event for a Letter of Intent with JBS S.A., one of the world’s largest meat processing companies, President Tinubu expressed confidence that increasing both international and local investments in the livestock sector of the agricultural value chain will help to resolve the tensions between farmers and herders. He argued that this approach will contribute to eradicating hunger and poverty in Nigeria while fostering broader economic growth.
Tinubu’s remarks highlight a proactive stance on a pressing national issue, aiming for sustainable solutions to enhance agricultural productivity and security.