Battlefields of the Harvest: Farmers Suffer as Cows Invade Farmlands Amidst a Struggle for Survival

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By David Arome

Farmers in Masaka, Nasarawa State, live in constant fear as their hard-earned crops fall victim to the relentless grazing of Fulani herdsmen’s cows. The disturbing trend of herds invading farmlands during the crucial farming season has become an unfortunate routine. Farmers are forced to adopt the role of vigilant watchmen, guarding their farms throughout the day to prevent the devastation caused by the wandering cattle.    

Mr. Adams John, an experienced farmer in Jeun Madaki, Masaka, Nasarawa State recently shared a distressing account of how Fulani herdsmen invaded his two-hectare bean farm, causing substantial damage to his anticipated bumper harvest. John, who has been dedicated to farming for nearly two decades, had cultivated beans on a piece of land he had leased. Unfortunately, his hopes were shattered when the herdsmen and their cows consumed the entire bean crop.

On a Sunday evening on 4th November 2023 as part of his regular routine, John visited his farm only to discover that it had been ravaged, with not a single grain of beans remaining.

John expressed, “this unfortunate incident has left me in a state of dilemma because the funds utilized for cultivation were borrowed specifically for purchasing pesticides, fertilizer, and leasing the farmland.”

“The tragic outcome has left me indebted, struggling to repay the borrowed money taken earlier.” Sadly, several other farmers in the community faced a similar plight as John.

Mary, another farmer in Masaka, Nasarawa State, echoed the widespread issue, recounting her own experience with the devastating impact of cows on her crops. She noted that the invasion by herdsmen and their cows had become a recurring occurrence.

Mary revealed “that the previous year, around the same period, the herdsmen allowed their cows to graze on beans that were not yet ready for harvest, causing significant damage.”

“Last year, the cows consumed nearly half of the beans I had planted in a one-hectare farmland,” Mary lamented.

This experience prompted her to closely monitor the farm’s progress on a daily basis, implementing a daily schedule for family members to visit the farm. She highlighted “the deceptive tactics employed by the herdsmen, who, when spotted by farmers, would pretend to control their cows from grazing on the crops.” However, in the absence of farmers, they would allow the cows to enter the farm and devour the crops.

“In general, the invasion of farms by cows has resulted in a decline in crop yields and a subsequent increase in food prices, as farmers are forced to compensate for their losses,” Mary added.

“It is suggested that the herdsmen take advantage of the assertion that beans enhance cow productivity, making them to feed their cows with beans at the expense of the farmers.”

She further said, “despite numerous complaints from the farmers to the community head (Mai-angwan) and leader of Fulani herdsmen to address the issue, no effective measures have been taken to prevent these actions that cause considerable distress to farmers.”

Though some states in Nigeria, especially those in the South and Benue State, have domesticated the anti-open grazing law, which prohibits open grazing, Nasarawa and other states in the north still support the open grazing system, which allows herders to move their cows around for grazing.    

The anti-grazing law bans the movement of cattle by herders in public places as a measure of curbing the persistent clashes between herders and farmers. The enactment of this law has been largely met with criticism by northern governors and the federal government. Also, Fulani herdsmen perceived the legislation as encroaching on their constitutional rights, such as freedom of movement across Nigeria and the right to own movable property in the Federation of Nigeria.

Expert reaction

Mr. Gbako Joshua, an Agricultural expert said “that impact of these recurring incidents extends beyond individual farmers, as the majority of them are subsistence farmers facing substantial losses.”

“Many farmers in the community are compelled to borrow money for their agricultural endeavors, only to end up with nothing to show for their efforts. The economic implications are dire, contributing to a sustained increase in food prices as farmers struggle to make up for the losses incurred.”

According to Joshua, “the open grazing system is old-fashioned and will not help solve the lingering farmers’ herder crisis.” He stressed that cattle rearing is a business, and hence herders should make provision for grazing for their cows without infiltrating farmland. 

“The ongoing struggle between farmers and herdsmen poses a significant threat to the livelihoods of those dependent on agriculture, highlighting the urgent need for intervention and resolution to ensure the sustainable coexistence of both communities,” Joshua noted.

 

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