Legal Implications of Free-Range System of Rearing Cattle in Nigeria: a Review

Abstract

Open grazing in Nigeria has been an age-long practice associated with the people of the Sahel. Evidence abounds of the peaceful co-existence between cattle herders and their host communities in nearly all parts of the country; what obtains today is far from peaceful. There have been incessant reports of violence ranging from the destruction of farmlands to the deaths of farmers and herdsmen through deliberate, unprovoked, violent attacks and reprisal attacks. Government efforts at resolving these issues have brought about suggestions to have grazing reserves or ranching, which have been resisted by some states. There have been calls by some state governments for the ban of open grazing due to the problems associated with it while some states have enacted laws banning open grazing. Meanwhile, there is a paucity of information on the legality of open grazing or otherwise, since there is yet to be a federal law in support of or condemnation, hence this investigation. This paper adopts legal and agropastoral methodologies to review these issues as they affect animal-human welfare. It further investigates how grazing is done in other climes to suggest possible solutions that will be mutually beneficial to farmers and herders. It found that in other climes, the methods of grazing were permitted to depend on the peculiarity of each state, particularly the availability of land. Findings further revealed the possible consequences of the free-range system if left unchecked, one of which could gradually affect the country’s adequate food supply. Farmlands are gradually abandoned for fear of possible attacks. Some states particularly known for farming are now plagued with hunger and poverty among farmers in rural areas. The consequence of unregulated open grazing could impair the possibility of attaining sustainable development goals of zero hunger and eradication of poverty. It recommends that the government urgently finds a lasting solution to open grazing that will be welcomed and acceptable to all states, bearing in mind their different peculiarities. Failure to attain these amounts to a gross violation of the rights of the various stakeholders.