15th February, 2018
The Kano State Government says the proposed grazing reserve in Falgore game reserve has the capacity to cater for over five million cattle.
Dr Yusuf Gawuna, the state Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen in Kano on Thursday.
Gawuna said that the reserve would accommodate the herdsmen and their cattle, thereby discouraging them from moving to other states in search of pasture.
According to Wikipedia, Falgore game reserve lies on northern guinea savanna ecological belt, adding that the ecosystem is bisected by River Kano.
Falgore game reserve started as Kogin Kano forest reserve which was developed since the British colonial period in 1940s.
The forest reserve was only upgraded into a game reserve in the 1960s.
The commissioner said, ‘‘Falgore Game Reserve can take care of millions of herdsmen and their cattle.
‘‘The location has been designed to accommodate markets, recreational centres, ultra-modern abattoir, tourism centre and factories that would make herdsmen transact their businesses without any hindrance.’’
The commissioner disclosed that the state government had engaged the services of a consultants and that a document had been submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari on the need to convert the forest to a grazing reserve.
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He said from the assessment of the consultant the modern grazing reserve would gulp about $30 million to develop.
‘‘The place is too big, we are in talks with private organisations that are coming in to invest and see how we can develop the forest.
‘‘We are also in talks with professional partners from South Africa for Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement. They will also assess the forest and submit their report to the governor,’’ Gawuna said.
He said that the modern grazing reserve would generate revenue to the state and create job opportunities for the people of the area.
According to him, a committee on farmers -herdsmen clashes, under his chairmanship, sits every month with traditional rulers, security agents, heads of agriculture departments and other relevant stakeholders to ensure peaceful co-existence.
The commissioner urged farmers and herdsmen in the state to always resolve their grievances amicably through dialogue.