Iware cattle market, Taraba state: an assessment of its peopling and socio– economic activities, 1970-2010

Abstract

Iware cattle market is one of the most prominent cattle markets in Taraba state and Nigeria in general. Cattle trade as an economic activity has socio-economic implications in the Taraba State area. This is because the trade that a majority of its people engaged in is animal husbandry. The people of Taraba State area, especially the Fulbe are mainly engaged in trading, pastoralism, and the business of selling cattle to a vast majority of the peoples of Nigeria. This study deals with the number of towns and villages that bring their animals and other goods for sale in the Iware cattle market. The study discovered that the number of towns and villages that patronize the market is overwhelming. The economic significance of the Iware cattle market is, therefore, not in question looking at the number of people attracted every market day. The other aspect of the study, which informs the research is the expansion of cattle trading in terms of taking cattle to the people in remote parts of Nigeria. With this practice, they were able to ease the suffering of the people travelling to the Iware cattle market for the product.