National Livestock Owners Association calls for cattle track protection in The Gambia

Ebrima O. Jallow, President of the National Livestock Owners Association (NaLOA), has called for the formal mapping and demarcation of cattle tracks in The Gambia to prevent conflicts between livestock owners and crop farmers. He noted that increasing population growth has led to the conversion of traditional grazing lands and migratory routes into farms, orchards, and residential areas.

To mitigate these tensions, NaLOA is working with the Ministry of Agriculture and the P2P2RS project on a nationwide sensitization campaign involving local authorities, police, and village heads. The goal is to establish formal conventions and land-use management strategies to reduce disputes when animals enter cultivated fields.

While the livestock sector is seeing improvements through increased investment in veterinary services, disease surveillance, and the construction of nearly 47 boreholes, challenges persist. These include dry-season pasture shortages, bushfires, and cattle rustling. Jallow emphasized the need for greater youth participation in the sector to meet the country’s rising demand for meat and livestock products.