Photograph — Holistic Management International

In a bid to address incessant clashes between herders and farmers and to ensure better feeding of livestock, the Nigerian Farmers Group and Cooperative Society (NFGCS) has introduced a locally constructed greenhouse technology hydroponics cow fodder feeding programme. This is an innovation that allows growing grass with no soil method of organic growing techniques.

According to the national coordinator of NFGCS, Retson Tedheke, the local technology is simple and cheap to run if the government is willing to encourage cattle breeders to adopt the model as an alternative to prevalent issues  lands to graze their animals which sometimes resulted to clash

In recent times, there have been conflicts between nomadic herders and farmers, thereby threatening the country’s security and stability with an estimated death toll of approximately 2,500 people in 2016. Retson said the initiative was part of measures put in place by the group to ensure proper feeding of cattle for meat and dairy as well as to limit open grazing that often leads to a clash with farmers.

While explaining the innovation, Retson said hydroponics is a method of growing plants in a water-based, nutrient-rich solution, which does not require soil but the root system. “We are trying to see how we can get herdsmen to see the benefits of feeding their cattle in one place rather than open grazing,” he added.

Speaking further, he said the group localized the concept of growing grass, so the herdsmen can see potentials in building a hydroponic unit with wood and roofing sheets. “He can use a basket to plant the grass and not just that he can also use a borehole that will not cost too much to water the hydroponic unit to feed at least 200 cattle per day and we are also giving the Fulani community around the farm centre a borehole, and baskets for them to begin to plant.”

The coordinator said the hydroponic method of growing grass was more nutritious to cattle and often produced more yield. Only such crops like sorghum, maize, rice, cowpea and water, crates, shredded jute bags, and little attention are all that is required and animals can feed all through the year.

Aside from the establishment of the hydroponic programme, the NFGCS was working to ensure community integration, saying it was critical to tackling herders/farmers crisis in the country and efforts have been successful since the pilot took off. The government has to key into this development by giving required support to farmers and ensuring a significant reduction in nomadic farming withing the country.

By Ahmed Iyanda.

Elsewhere on Ventures

Triangle arrow