By Emmanuel Elebeke

Stakeholders at the 3rd Annual National Conference on the Management of Farmer-Herder Relations in Nigeria, themed “Putting Words to Action”, at the National Conference on the Management of Farmer-Herder relations conference have blamed the lingering crisis on the failure of government to implement actionable recommendations proffered in the past to end the crisis.

They said several recommendations had been suggested to the successive administrations in the past but they refused to put them into action and called on President Tinubu led government not to toe the same pattern but to immediately commence implementation of well thought out recommendations made in respect of the farmer-herder crisis in order to end the incessant crisis that has festered into kidnapping and banditry.

In her opening remarks, the Executive Director of Neem Foundation, Dr. Fatima Akilu said having failed to address the crisis in the past, the best way government can tackle the challenge is to listen to farmers and herders on what they want and provide their basic needs and lack that usually occasion needless clashes.

According to her, a more comprehensive approach needs to be imbedded in policies as a starting point in resolving the farmer-herder issues.

‘‘I think the most important thing is to listen to farmers and herders on what they want.

There have been discussion about staying stationary at least for herders, including ranching, but what need to be ascertain is if they stay in a space, will government be able to provide them with the support they need, in terms of water and food, education and vatenary they need, very integrated approach.

‘‘I have listened to some of them, a lot of them don’t want to travel thousands of miles every year, looking for water and grazing routes, carrying their children and families in a modern age, it is bringing a lot of stress to farmers.’’

She said the partnership between her organization and other partners is to look at how they are going to address this problem, since they are not new, and have entrapped the country for a couple of years.

The National President of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, Baba Ngelzarm, said the first step to address the security challenges that is associated with this conflict before we can go to another is to address the security challenge squarely. According to him, without security, some of the recommendations cannot be implemented.

‘A lot of resolutions had been passed on this conflict but implementation is always the problem. When views are different, challenges are identified, and solutions are proffered. What needs to be done is implementation, that is what is lacking, implementation. That is why we are where we are today. After this, I think there is need for a follow up to see the level of implementation of resolutions taken here, because that has been the problem so far.

‘‘In 2014, we were just addressing the issue of cattle rustling, no kidnapping, and because farmers herders conflict was not well managed, that was what brought about cattle rustling, cattle rustling metamorphosed into kidnapping, kidnapping brought about banditry. All these crimes came about as a result of farmer-herder conflict that was allowed to linger for a very long time in this country.

All we need is implementation because there is nothing that will be said here that has not been said before. The issue is conflict resolution, a lot of solutions have been proffered, what we need now is for Federal government to implement the new resolutions.’’

In his own submission, the Director General of Institute of Peace and Conflict Resolution, IPCR, Dr. Joseph Ochogwu said the conflicts between farmers and herders in Nigeria are rooted in a combination of historical, environmental, economic, and socio-political factors. Among these, he said that climate change stands as a formidable and escalating challenge, adding that the erratic weather patterns, prolonged droughts, and unseasonal floods being experienced are not mere inconveniences but profound disruptors of agricultural and pastoral systems.

These environmental changes, according to him exacerbate the competition for limited resources, land, water, and grazing areas which fuels tensions between communities.

‘‘Economic instability further compounds this issue. Rural areas, where most conflicts occur, are often plagued by poverty and lack of infrastructure. The struggle for survival in these environments can lead to heightened competition and conflict over resources. The economic pressures faced by both farmers and herders can drive them to desperate measures, escalating the cycle of violence.

‘‘The proliferation of small arms and light weapons is another critical factor. The availability of these arms not only increases the lethality of conflicts but also makes conflict resolution more challenging. The unchecked spread of these weapons can transform local disputes into violent confrontations, making it essential for us to address arms control as part of our peace-building efforts.’’

Furthermore, Ochogwu said the role of misinformation and ethnic tension cannot be understated, as false narratives and rumours often inflame existing divisions, making it harder to achieve understanding and reconciliation. For him, promoting accurate information and fostering intercultural dialogue are essential components of approach to conflict resolution.

The conference organized by the Office of Strategic Preparedness and Resilience (OSPRE), Karuna Center for Peacebuilding, Neem Foundation, and our local partners such as Elohim Development Foundation, Hope for the Village Child, and the Voluntary Aid Initiative had representatives from government MDAs, heads of foreign missions, members of the civil society and development sector, security sector, farmer and herder.