The Niger State Government has restated its commitment to the take off of the multi-million Naira Bobi Grazing Reserve in Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State.
The foliage there was at an advanced stage of growth when State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, visited the reserve to ascertain the level of work reached on the 30, 000 hectares of land, being developed for livestock and dairy production.
He said government with full support from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), is committed to project actualization, adding that the government has already drawn lots of investors into the project. The investors include Chi Vita; Friesland Campina WAMCO Nigeria, a Dutch firm that is working on 10, 000 hectares. Collaborations are on with others that are advanced in livestock and dairy production such as Hungary, Brazil, Netherlands, India, Pakistan.
According to a statement by Mary Noel-Berje, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, the grazing reserve is coming in the wake of incessant Farmers/Herders clashes that have cost lives and property, adding that the reserve is expected to help change the narrative and provide conducive environment for both Farmers and Herders to flourish in their cultivation and livestock activities.
Governor Bello expressed satisfaction with the level of work, and assured of government’s continued support towards the actualisation of the project by providing necessary security to safeguard the reserve for optimal benefit to the area and the country.
Bello observed the different kinds of imported animal pasture being cultivated and the new proteinous feed with high yield planted on over 300 hectares of land.
The Consultant handling the development of the reserve and Emir of Muri, Taraba State, Alhaji Abbas Tafida said that an advanced system of feed harvest mechanism would be adopted to avoid wastages, adding that 2000 breeds of BokoIo cattle are to be imported.
Alhaji Tafida added that any cattle coming into the reserve will undergo a rigorous medical checkup, and will be subjected to quarantine and vaccination to avoid any outbreak of disease.
He said 200 hectares of super napia, and 100 hectares for super grains have been planted while assuring the governor that in few weeks the reserve will be wearing a new look.
The Consultant told the governor that, as part of security measures and practice adopted to safeguard such types of farm, they have reached an agreement to provide a perimeter fence for the entire reserve, pleading with government to act as guarantor to secure loans for the fencing project.
He explained that the fence will have four gates, observation towers while surveillance cameras with the capacity to capture any object from a distance of two kilometres are to be mounted.