The Borno State Government is establishing Rural-Urban Grazing Areas (RUGAs) for herders displaced by Boko Haram insurgency in the state.
The Projects Coordinator to Governor Babagana Zulum, Mallam Tijjani Mohammed disclosed the report while briefing the Sudanese Economic Team leader to Borno, Dr Osman El-Fal at the Mafa RUGA centre.
Recalled that, Sudan Delegation with agricultural experts since last Friday were in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital to partner on areas of agricultural products such as Gum Arabic, Wheat, Date Palm farming and animal production, as peace gradually returns with massive relocation and resettlement of millions of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) back to their liberated communities.
This is even as the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) in Khartoum, Sudan has donated $500,000 grant to the State Government for livestock artificial insemination across the 27 local government areas of the state.
The visit to Borno by the Sudan delegation was sequel to Governor Zulum’s visit to Sudan in early September this year, where he led some state delegation to the headquarters of Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) in Khartoum, following which, the partnership was potentially reached for the bank and Borno to partner on exporting wheat and gum arabic produced by farmers in Borno.
Second phase
Briefing both delegations from Sudan, led by Dr El-Fal, and that of Borno State Government led by the former Minister of State for Agriculture, Bukar Tijjani, the Projects Coordinator, Mallam Mohammed said, the RUGA centres are to be sited in three senatorial districts at Mafa, Gubio and Rumirgo in Askira/Uba Local Government Area. The establishment of the grazing areas, he noted, is supported by the Federal Government intervention of N4 billion in the state’s 25-year development plan.
“This project is built on 250 hectres of land, comprising various infrastructural facilities, including 1.5-km perimeter fencing,” he said.
According to him, the Mafa RUGA centre included 100 housing units to resettle the displaced herders in the Central Senatorial District. Other facilities at the centre, are a community primary school and veterinary clinic for the livestock.
Besides, he added that modern ways of farming will be integrated with the building of hay silage-making bunkers for the production of pasture and fodders. In ensuring all year-round pastures, he said that an irrigated pasture, including feed bins, are to be established for the livestock.
To upgrade RUGA’s standards, he disclosed that other facilities for fattening shades for bulls and rams are also to be constructed.
“Three earth dams are to be sited for the watering of livestock and production of vegetables,” he said; stating that youths and women are to be empowered in the production of fish, poultry and tailoring.
He added that apart from these, the state government is to introduce improved breeds of cattle with insemination to produce 30 litres of milk a day from each cow.
“This is compared to the local breeds of cattle that produce a maximum of only two litres of milk per cow,” he said.
While under the second phase of the project, local herders in the district will be trained on the production hygienic milk before selling. Herders will also be trained on the production of pasture for their livestock; as seeds of irrigated pasture have been acquired for distribution.
 for herders displaced by Boko Haram insurgency in the state.){kind=link}