Senator Natasha Akpoti has spoken about the challenges faced by herdsmen in Nigeria. She said many herdsmen have a strong connection to their cows and don't want to see them starve, however, this often leads to conflicts when their cows graze on other people's farms.
In a report recently shared by The Sun, Akpoti suggested that the Federal Government should start seeing herding as an important economic activity. She proposed looking at how countries like the United States, Brazil, Argentina, and Japan manage their cattle industries.
Akpoti said most herdsmen don't like being away from their families for long periods while taking care of their cattle. She proposed that the government should create large areas in certain states for herdsmen. She said these areas would have everything they need, including schools, clinics, and other community facilities. She said by building such ecosystems, herdsmen could better manage their cattle without causing conflicts, and they wouldn't have to leave their families for long periods.
In Natasha's words: "Most of these herdsmen, the arguments they make is that they love their cows, they are connected to their cows. They can’t watch their cows starve, that they don’t even like the fact that they have to walk away from their wives and children for months nurturing these cows"