Nigeria’s Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu has advised the Federal Government to urgently adopt ranching as opposed to open-grazing if it wishes to end the frequent clashes between farmers and herdsmen across the country.

Ekweremadu who made the suggestion over the weekend while delivering a lecture titled “African Politics: The Dynamics and Lessons” at the House of Commons, the Parliament of the United Kingdom said open grazing was archaic, anachronistic and out of tune with modern societies.

“Importantly, I believe that ranching is the way to go, rather than open grazing. However it is for the Federal Government to provide the policy direction, while states take up the challenge because the issue of cattle rearing is a state matter as all lands are vested in the respective states under the Land Use Act of Nigeria,” Ekweremadu said.

He added: “The states need to come up with legislation to end open grazing. It is not for them to set up ranches since it is peoples’ private business. The states should instead come up with agricultural credit schemes that will encourage and support the farmers to set up their ranches.”