By Abel Daniel, Lafia

The age-long war between farmers and herders in some communities of Nasarawa State is about to come to an end. And, it may not be long before the merchants of war, who have been fighting each other over the years, bury their war weapons and embrace peace.

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This is because of the special attention that the Federal Government has paid to the issues underlying the frequent clashes between farmers and herders. One of the most pressing issues that normally triggers crisis between the two groups, is water, an essential need for man and animals.

It is often alleged that the search by herders for water and grass for their herds has often pushed them into conflict with farmers who claim that the cattle invade their farms and destroy their crops and harvest.

Learning from that, the Federal Government has opted to tackle that threat headlong and bring a lasting solution to the problem.

Government is providing water for many rural communities of Nasarawa State through its Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes, ACReSAL, an agency that has been spearheading the provision of basic needs in agrarian communities in the country’s North.

After providing some amenities in the 17 communities in the state, the Federal Project Management team has gone to those communities to see things for itself and take further steps to tweak the operations of the agency in the state. The team visited one of the areas located in Angwan Makama, Nuku Ward, Akwanga Local Government  Area of Nasarawa State and observed with optimism that the project has started yielding positive results for the beneficiaries.

Leading the State Project Management Unit, SPMU, Dr. Napoleon Gyobe Elias, the State Project Coordinator, warmly received the visiting team alongside community members who are direct beneficiaries of the solar-powered boreholes and streetlights provided by the project.

  It was appreciation galore as the community engaged with the evaluation team and shared their experiences since the project’s implementation.

The Federal Impact Assessment Team, led by Mrs. Mbalamen Yuwa, commenced a detailed interaction with the community members with the sole objective of evaluating the real-life impact of the ACReSAL project on the daily lives of the residents.

Mrs. Yuwa and her team were able to observe firsthand how the provision of clean water and enhanced lighting through solar power had transformed the communities.  

The team lead observed with satisfaction that the provision of running water and solar power has transformed the lives of farmers and communities in the 22 communities in Akwanga LGA who had in the past had to trek for over four kilometres in search of water for domestic use and to feed their animals.

Beginning with a detailed needs assessment in 2022, the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes, ACReSAL, project of the Government of Nigeria, supported by the World Bank, stepped in.  

The staff of the Nasarawa State Project Management Unit, SPMU, worked intensively with traditional leaders, local government officials, and community members, and constructed 17 solar-powered boreholes in 17 communities, and 408 solar-powered streetlights in 83 communities between March and May 2023.

This project has impacted the communities while the causes of conflict have been resolved through the provision of amenities for the people.

The 13,000 residents, who gained access to clean and safe drinking water have not only experienced better health but also improved livelihoods.  

ACReSAL noted that cases of cholera and gastrointestinal disorders have drastically reduced, as have hospital visits. School attendance has also improved.  

“Animal health has also improved. Where a Fulani cattle owner would spend around N3 million on veterinary care to treat ailments contracted from drinking contaminated water from the streams, they spent around N600,000 after the intervention, saving around N2.4 million. “The improved health of cattle has raised their selling price: a two-year old cow that fetched N100,000 – N150,000 earlier, now sells at N300,000 – N350,000 because they grow healthy and fat.

“The provision of clean water has also increased economic activities. In Ungwan Makama, a community of more than 80 households, almost every household now produces fried cassava (garri), a staple food in Nigeria.”  

According to Madam Rakiya Adamu, who has been making garri for over 20 years, she used to make one bag of 50 measures per day because of the distance of the stream from her house, but now makes eight bags of 50 measures per day.

Selling at N100 per measure, she has seen her profit increase from N5,000 to N40,000 per day – above the national poverty line of N30,000 per day in rural Nigeria.  

She also said that people come from Plateau, Kano, and Bauchi states on market days and buy up all her cassava – and ask for more – because it is cleaner and tastier now.

The Fulani women in the Ardo Ibrahim community are also now able to sell their milk products (nono) for higher prices, and have also expanded into producing other popular drinks such as Zobo (a hibiscus flower drink) and Kunu (a corn/millet drink).  

Their daily profits have increased by N1,000 per person, helping them to be more self-reliant.  

The solar-powered streetlights have also had a significant impact in the beneficiary communities: no snake bite and no robberies.  

But perhaps the most impactful benefit is the reduced tension between herders and farmers over drinking water.

Local leaders reported that 2024 was a conflict-free year, marking significant progress in fostering peace and stability in the area.  

As a result, herders have also reduced their practice of taking their cattle through farms to the drinking water stream. All from providing clean drinking water.

The intervention offers a scalable solution to similar challenges across the state and beyond, and the Nasarawa SPMU of ACReSAL plans to replicate this intervention in the remaining 12 local government areas of the state.

Vanguard News