US media: The original pastures were occupied, and Nigerian herders grazed cattle on the streets of the capital
2024-08-27
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[Global Times Comprehensive Report] According to the Associated Press report on August 26, climate change and urbanization have caused Nigerian herders to lose their original pastures, and the "uprooted" cattle have even blocked the passage to the country's capital, Abuja. According to reports, Nigerians raise more than 20 million dairy cows, and the total output value of their dairy products market is about 1.5 billion US dollars.
On August 16, 2024, a boy herded cattle on a street in Abuja, Nigeria. Source: US media
The Fulani people, scattered across West Africa, are traditional nomads who dominate Nigeria's cattle industry. These herders used to graze their cattle on free pastures in the wilderness, but the pressure of modernization and the demand for land for housing and crop cultivation are challenging their way of life. Herder Abubakar came to Idu, a rural area in Abuja, many years ago to settle and graze, but now he can only find a place to graze his cattle on the streets of the city. He said in an interview: "Our settlement in Idu was demolished and the bushes we used for grazing were cut down just to make way for the construction of new houses."
In order to keep cattle away from Abuja's main roads and gardens, some people suggest that herders acquire private land for grazing and expand their operations. But experts say that to do this, herders need funding and government support. The chairman of the Nigerian Cattle Raisers Association said part of the problem is that the government has failed to take the necessary measures to tap the potential of animal husbandry. To address related issues, the Nigerian president announced the establishment of a new department in July and said the department would help restore the original pasture protection areas. (Zhou Yang)
