A lawmaker representing Lakes State in the national parliament has called on the government to introduce commercialised and modern cattle breeding to stop violence and cattle raiding among pastoralist communities.

Gai Mayen Luuk, a youth leader, argued that cattle raids cannot be stopped unless the government approaches the communities and convinces them to adopt a modern cattle breeding system.

He said the modern approach will minimise the movement of cattle and that, in turn, will reduce cattle theft.

He said the movement of large numbers of cattle is the main cause of violence and cattle rustling in the region. 

“The communities’ violence in our region, especially [how] it used to be in Lakes State, comes as a result of cattle raids. The violence cannot stop unless the communities adopt modern cattle breeding and grazing to stop the movement from one place to another,” Mayen said.

He made the statement during the launch of the food system innovation in Juba last Friday.

“With innovation, the government can introduce ideas of changing the breed of the cattle hybrid so that they [cattle] can be in one place,” he added. 

Earlier this year, the Minister of Animal Resources and Fisheries, Onyoti Adigo Nykwic, called on local cattle keepers across the country to change their traditional ways of keeping animals.

Onyoti advised the cattle keepers to sell their local breeds and buy hybrid cows that produce quality meat and milk.

He argued that this would in turn minimise the persistent conflicts between them and the farming communities, especially in Central and Eastern Equatoria States.

On several occasions, farming communities, mainly in Central and Eastern Equatoria States, have complained about their crops being destroyed by cattle that normally come for grazing in the area.