Agriculturist Propose Ways To Deal With Fulani Herdsmen

The Coordinator of the Northern Rural Growth Programme (NRGP), Mr. Roy Ayariga has called for “one stop shop national effort” to deal with the menace of the alien Fulani Herdsmen in the country to enhance National Food Security.

According to him, the nefarious activities of the Fulanis across Ghana and most especially the three Northern Regions were posing serious threats to national food security and the lives of most farmers especially the women. 

Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Chronicle in Tamale, Mr. Ayariga indicated that there had been several instances where crops and other farm produce stored on farmlands as a result of labour constrains and the lack of storage facilities had been completely destroyed either by stray cattle or bushfires set up by the Fulanis.

These alien Fulanis are also alleged to be the brain behind major robberies, indiscriminate rape of women and the burning of farms leading to considerable loss of farm produce stored in the farm houses and those yet to be harvested.

They are also believed to be engaged in the cutting down of economic trees in feeding their animals which is making the area more prone to desertification.

Residents on several occasions have engaged in confrontation with these herdsmen and raised concerns over their continuous stay in the district and have therefore called on the authorities to as a matter of urgency eject them or closely monitor their activities, but to no avail.

However, the Coordinator of the NRGP Mr. Roy Ayariga is advocating for the creation of what he termed “Cattle Movement Corridors or Belts” by government to regulate the movement of the alien Fulani herdsmen and to restrain them from messing up with local farm lands.

He explained that, the construction of the Cattle Movement Corridors could be developed in such a way that they would have vaccination point or outlets managed by the Veterinary officers, wells or watering point and pastures at the already depleted areas.

Mr. Ayariga who is also a former Regional Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture for the Upper East Region emphasized that the creation of the corridors would compel the alien herdsmen to enter into Ghana through the approved routes to avoid the destruction of farms. 

He suggested that the corridors could be created as “Western Corridors which would receive aliens from the Burkina Faso through Tumu, Sawla, Bole-Bamboi to Tain whiles the Eastern Corridors would comprise Kpandai, Saboba, Buipe and communities along the white volta down to the southern part.

But Mr. Ayariga was quick to advise that the creation of the Cattle Movement Corridors could be properly developed and managed through a strong cooperation between the government of Ghana and Burkina Faso.

He also advised that the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies together with the traditional authorities in the affected areas could come together to ensure the enforcement and compliance of the laws that would government the creation of the Cattle Movement Corridors.

In advising farmers against post-harvest losses, Mr. Ayariga however, encouraged the farmers to process their crops quickly after harvesting and carry them home or construct fire belts to prevent the crops from bush fires and stray cattle which normally pounce on their maize, groundnuts, millet and rice among others. 

According to him, traditional rulers and their community taskforces could better manage the current or prevailing activities of the alien Fulanis whiles government and its partners take steps to ensure a long term measure.

He lamented that use of maximum force by the Police and Military who found it difficult to stay in the communities for longer periods to regulate the activities of the herdsmen, was not the right answer to situation.

Mr. Ayariga on the other hand, outlined some of the interventions being initiated by the NRGP and for that matter government of Ghana to address most of the challenges facing the farmers in the three Northern Regions.

According to him, the overall goal of the programme was to contribute to an equitable and sustainable poverty reduction and food security among rural households and to increase Northern Ghana area rural households’ income on a sustainable basis. 

As a result, the NRGP with funding support from the African Development Bank (AfDB), he indicated had constructed several kilometers of feeders roads in the 32 beneficiary districts of the programme to ensure that farmers get easy access to their farms and to the market centres. 

The Programme had also provided standardized storage facilities, irrigation systems, improved seeds, fertilizers and other farm inputs as well as financial support to farmers to ensuring smooth farming business.

Mr. Ayariga noted with joy that the NRGP had been able to train more farmers in ensuring high agricultural productivity and reducing post-harvest losses. 

Meanwhile, about 372,000 rural households representing about three million people living in those households are expected to directly or indirectly benefit from the NRGP programme.