By Albert Futukpor, GNA
Karaga (N/R), April 13, GNA - Fulani herdsmen and crop farmers in the Karaga District of the Northern Region have called for a passage of a by-law on cattle ranching to promote good relations between cattle herders and crop farmers in the district.
Fulani herdsmen and crop farmers said they should be extensively involved in the design of the by-law to ensure that it would be acceptable to all and help to promote their business.
This formed part of the recommendations made at a day’s media and stakeholders’ engagement workshop held at Karaga on Thursday on the agro-pastoralism project dubbed: “Strengthening the Resilience of Agro-pastoral Systems in West Africa (PARSAO)”.
The workshop was attended by key stakeholders in the district including Fulani herdsmen, crop farmers, security personnel, officers from the assembly and media practitioners.
It was to create a dialogue and understanding between Fulani herdsmen and crop farmers to promote healthy relations between them as well as offer the media practitioners perspectives on the real issues to promote balanced reportage on Fulani herdmen and crop farmers’ challenges.
The PARSAO project is being implemented by the Ghana Developing Communities Association and Community Life Improvement Programme (CLIP) with funding from UKAID, Acting for Life, Air France and DANIDA.
The project works to improve conditions for cattle breeding and movement across borders and regions in West Africa thereby also increasing the local meat trade and access to markets.
Over the years, Fulani herdsmen have been accused of destruction of food crops, rape, robbery amongst others, a situation, which fuelled conflicts between them and members of local communities including crop farmers.
Participants at the workshop also called for the establishment of a dedicated committee to resolve any differences between Fulani herdsmen and crop farmers to prevent violence.
Mr Issah Musah, Secretary of Karaga District Value Chain Committee, a farmer organization, alleged the massive destruction of their crops by Fulani herdsmen calling for the creation of grazing areas to salvage the situation.
Mr Musah also called for the creation of movement corridors for cattle such that they did not get near food crops to destroy them.
Madam Alimah Seidu, a Fulani Cattle Herder from Bagudu community in the district, called for continued dialogue between cattle herders and crop farmers to promote good relations between them.
Mr Abukari Baba, Planning Officer at Karaga District Assembly commended partners for the project saying it would help address the challenges that confronted farmers in the district.
Mr Lukman Yussif, Project Manager in-charge of CLIP/PARSAO project said cattle herders and crop farmers had always lived together and efforts must be made to reduce conflicts amongst them.
GNA
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