“Sowing Peace and Prosperity”: Minister Flags Off National Pasture Planting Day in Abuja

By Onwe Wisdom| Pan Afric Reporters Abuja, August 12, 2025

The Federal Government has launched a nationwide push to modernize livestock production and promote peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders, as the Honourable Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, officially flag-off  the National Pasture Planting Day at the Kawu Grazing Reserve in Bwari Area Council, Federal Capital Territory. Abuja.

Addressing dignitaries, traditional rulers, livestock stakeholders, and pastoralist representatives,  Maiha, described the day as “not just the planting of seeds in the soil, but the sowing of a vision” one that promises sustainable livestock development, environmental stewardship, and economic empowerment for millions of Nigerians dependent on the sector.

Note, the initiative is part of the National Pasture Development Programme, designed to tackle the chronic shortage of quality fodder, a key driver of low livestock productivity and farmer-herder clashes. This year alone, eight pasture varieties have been released into Nigeria’s national seed system, alongside new training programmes for herders and extension officers, the establishment of seed banks, feedlots, and the adoption of irrigation and water harvesting systems.

“Our grazing reserves are not merely patches of land, but hubs of opportunity,” Maiha said, highlighting the potential for breed improvement, veterinary services, youth employment, women’s empowerment through organized milk production, and enhanced food security.

The Minister called for a “whole-of-society” collaboration, urging state and local governments to allocate viable grazing lands, the private sector to invest in pasture commercialization, and pastoral communities to embrace modern, climate-smart practices. Development partners, NGOs, and traditional institutions were also invited to play active roles in ensuring the programme’s success.

Symbolically planting grasses at the event, Maiha declared the gesture a “symbol of hope” for a future in which cattle no longer need to trek vast distances in search of pasture, and where grazing reserves evolve into “centres of excellence” in animal husbandry.

Commending the Kawu community, Bwari Area Council, and FCT administration for their support, the Minister concluded:
“Let us water these seeds with unity, nurture them with innovation, and harvest from them the peace and prosperity our nation deserves.”