Farmers in Manchok community of Kaura LGA in Kaduna said they had lost crops worth millions of naira after herdsmen allegedly ravaged their farmlands.

The farmers, who cried out for help in Manchok on Friday, said the incident predisposed them to hardship.

One of them, Martina David, a mother of four, said she invested nearly N1.3 million in cultivating sweet potatoes only to lose the investment within two days after herdsmen allegedly destroyed the farm.

Looking visibly shaken and distraught, she said that the amount she spent on cultivating the crop was a loan facility she collected because of the potential for a high return on investment.

She explained that she planted potatoes on 188 ridges on nearly four hectares of land and expected to harvest at least 752 bags at three to four bags per ridge.

She estimated the return on investment to yield N12.78 million at the current price of between 17,000 and N20,000 per bag.

“Sadly, my hope was dashed when I visited my farm and discovered that more than half of it was destroyed by cattle. In tears, I fell on my knees and cried, wondering how I would get out of the predicament.

“I pulled myself together, wiped my tears, and created some barriers to protect what was left. To my surprise, when I returned the following day, the entire potato plants had been wiped out by cattle. I didn’t get a thing from my investment,” she said.

Ms David  added, “I don’t know how I will repay the loan I collected because my husband, also a farmer, is ill and could not cultivate anything this year.”

Ibrahim Yashim said he planted guinea corn on four hectares of land, only for the three portions of the farm to be invaded and destroyed by cattle.

Mr Yashim, a primary school teacher, said he invested about N730,000 in farming through cultivation, inputs, and labour. He said he expected to harvest at least 40 bags of guinea corn at 10 bags per hectare.

He added that his return on investment would have amounted to more than N4.8 million at the current market price of between 110,000 and N120,000 per bag.

“But I can tell you that at the moment, only about a hectare is left. Herders destroyed the remaining three hectares. I got home from work, and my aged mother asked me to go check the farm because someone had informed her that he had seen cows entering my farm.

“On getting there, I was horrified by what I saw. About half of the crops were destroyed by cattle. I just sat down on the ground because my legs couldn’t hold me up,” Mr Yashim said.

He said he complained to the leader of the Fulani settlers in Manchok, Salisu Ibrahim.

“Unfortunately for me, Ardo said there was nothing he could do about it unless the culprit were caught. And the culprit has continued to invade the farm until the cattle grazed about three hectares of the farm,” he stated.

La’ah Philemon, national leader of the Moro’a Development Association Youth Wing, said about 39 farms were allegedly destroyed by herders in the area.

Mr Philemon, who expressed concern over what he described as a “looming hunger” in Moro’a land, called for the ban on open grazing during the rainy season.

He said most victims were in a dilemma, noting that planting again the same crops is impossible with the rainy season almost over. He said the continued destruction of crops by herders had escalated to the level of confrontation between farmers and herders.

According to him, one such confrontation has left one of the farmers dead, with three others escaping with injuries.

The youth leader, therefore, called on the government at all levels and other relevant organisations to assist the victims in feeding their families and surviving the current economic hardship in the country.

Confirming the incidents, the district head of Manchok, Ishaya Tabat, said the traditional council had intervened to find a sustainable solution.

Mr Tabat noted that several meetings have been held with the leaders of the Fulani community and herders in the area, saying that the herders agreed to compensate the farmers.

When contacted, Mr Ibrahim acknowledged that the dialogue between the Fulani and the community leaders has been fruitful. He assured the farmers that the compensation would be paid very soon.

To prevent the reoccurrence of the incidents, the leader said that most of the perpetrators of the acts were herders who came into the community from different locations.

He added that with the help of security agencies, such visiting herders have been asked to return to where they came from. He pledged continued support to the peace building efforts in the area. 

(NAN)