Ever wondered where the name “Operation Cow Leg” came from? Same here, but that’s a mystery for another day. Today, my focus is on what this operation truly is, why it was introduced, and the issues that continue to surround it.
Operation Cow Leg is a government-led initiative in Ghana aimed at addressing farmer-herder conflicts by regulating cattle movement and expelling unauthorized herders. These conflicts, though widely known today, have deep historical roots. Across West Africa, tensions between farmers and herders have existed for centuries, but became more intense during the cattle trade expansion and the devastating Sahelian droughts of the 1960s to 1980s. As the drought dried up grazing lands, many herding communities were forced to migrate southward in search of fertile areas, and Ghana’s lush farmlands became a natural destination.
In 1997, some herders, upon discovering the fertile soils of the Agogo community in the Ashanti Region, petitioned the local stool for temporary grazing rights. An agreement was reached, mediated by two titled men representing the Agogo Traditional Council, that allowed the herders to graze their cattle on certain lands under one key condition: they were to prevent their animals from destroying the crops of local farmers, and any damages would attract a fine. Unfortunately, this understanding broke down. The terms were repeatedly breached, farms were destroyed, and tension escalated into violent farmer-herder clashes. In response, the government re-launched Operation Cow Leg, an initiative first introduced in 1988 to restore order.
Fast forward to 2006, when the Agogo Traditional Council, under the leadership of the paramount chief at the time, granted a 50-year grazing lease to six Ghanaian cattle owners, each receiving 50 acres of grassland for an annual rent of 500 Ghana cedis. This agreement, though meant to bring structure, reignited herder activity and reopened old wounds. Renewed cattle destruction, land disputes, and insecurity followed, drawing both public concern and government intervention.
Over time, Operation Cow Leg has evolved into a broader effort involving local authorities, traditional leaders, and security agencies working to curb the rising tensions. Yet, questions remain: Has the operation truly solved the problem or only pushed it further away? Many critics argue that while the initiative addresses symptoms, unauthorized grazing and destruction, it doesn’t tackle deeper issues like land ownership ambiguity, lack of grazing reserves, and weak enforcement of agreements. Others point out that both farmers and herders are victims of a system that fails to balance livelihoods and land use fairly.
At its heart, this is not just about cattle or crops, it’s about coexistence, governance, and fairness. Sustainable peace cannot be achieved through eviction alone, but through dialogue, clear land policies, and the inclusion of both parties in lasting solutions. Operation Cow Leg may have begun as a forceful response to chaos, but perhaps its future lies not in confrontation, but in collaboration.