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Journos, good morning.
I really feel we are missing contextual stories on this open grazing vs RUGA debate, particularly from a Solutions Journalism lens. I’ll explain:
1. News below is the perfect opening to chronicle historic factors and current merits or demerits of ranching. https://twitter.com/mobilepunch/status/1362256963078402048
I really feel we are missing contextual stories on this open grazing vs RUGA debate, particularly from a Solutions Journalism lens. I’ll explain:
1. News below is the perfect opening to chronicle historic factors and current merits or demerits of ranching. https://twitter.com/mobilepunch/status/1362256963078402048
2. The FCTA establishing Rural Grazing Area (RUGA) settlements is them seeking solutions to longstanding problems. I suggest you visit these Areas, report on the set up, and trace the origins of the problem. You will see it straddles climate change, sociocultural economic issues.
3. In the 60s, Nigeria designated a little over 400 reserves in the North. They provide the space, fodder and even vaccinations for herds and collect taxes from the rearers. But then, oil came and agriculture suffered as we know. What happened next was that...
4. Rearers naturally returned to traditional systems of grazing but of course urbanisation, industrialisation, demographic and migration along shifts have altered these routes. There are literally tarred roads or less foliage and so the open grazing resulted in further travel.
5. Where you come in, as a journo? You need to start with the present, which is a sort of return to the 1960s. But you also have to track why the 1960s failed, so these ones won’t. Where were the 400 reserves originally sited? What exists there now? Should taxes be paid too, now?
6. You can also compare between states like Kano that are further in the RUGA process with these FCTA settlements and see what the similarities/differences in facilities and administration are, and how these may affect the outcomes for stakeholders.
7. Sources are at your discretion but I strongly ask you to speak to historians and academics who are familiar with the initial grazing reserves. Also, former government officials in past administrations who had over the years handled RUGAs in one form or the other would help you
8. Please don’t feel this is a daunting report. As a newsroom you can coordinate reporters in different states to report parts of the story.
As an individual journalist you may decide to collaborate with other colleagues to report and share resources.
Good luck
#RuonaTips
As an individual journalist you may decide to collaborate with other colleagues to report and share resources.
Good luck
#RuonaTips
