President of the Ghana Institution of Surveyors (GhIS), Edwin Addo-Tawiah, has called on government to construct hay farms for cattle farmers to feed their livestock.

This measure, he believes would ensure a peaceful co-existence between herdsmen, land owners, farmers and inhabitants of ‘grazing communities’.

Mr. Addo-Tawiah maintained that the establishment of hay farms will address the issue of cattle grazing on farms and address the eminent Fulani menace.

“We recommend the growing of hay farms in such areas and we will collaborate with the Ministry of Agriculture in developing methods for storing some of these grasses so that in lean seasons, it can be given out to cattle owners as it is done in developed countries,” he said.

He also proposed the setting up of ranches in the communities, with well-established boundaries so as to minimize the incidents of cattle breaking into farms and destroying properties.

He also advised land owners to endeavour to provide proper site plans for land leases.

“We propose the creation of ranches in these communities. Land owners and farmers who will agree that the hay will be grown by them or naturally grown, and give a section of their areas to be used as ranches for the cattle should be allowed (to do so). No land owner should be allowed to lease a land without a site plan,” he opined.

He disclosed the GhIS’ plans to collaborate with the Ministry of Agriculture in demarcating the ranches.

There have been recent clashes in certain parts of the country between Fulani herdsmen and farmers, leading to several injuries and the loss of many lives.

In order to address the situation, government has set up a taskforce dubbed, ‘Operation Cowleg’, and members of the taskforce have been deployed to the affected communities.