STRUCTURED SUMMARY: CAUSES OF FARMER-HERDER CONFLICTS IN AFRICA A systematic scoping review (original) (raw)
Related papers
CAUSES OF FARMER-HERDER CONFLICTS IN AFRICA A systematic scoping review
sparc-knowledge.org, 2023
Conflict between farmers and livestock herders in Africa has received much attention in recent years, with attendant concerns about increasing and intensifying levels of conflict. This systematic scoping review was based on an approach designed to minimise selection bias using transparent and reproducible methods. The aim was to gain insights into the causes of farmer–herder conflict and uncover any trends and potential gaps in understanding. A second aim was to ascertain to what degree conflict is connected to land and natural resources and to what extent land tenure insecurity is cited as a cause of conflict and how this is discussed. A third aim was to understand to what degree and in what capacity women and youth are mentioned in research on farmer–herder conflict. The review followed a systematic scoping review approach. A search of academic research articles in English- and French-language Web of Science, Science Direct and think-tank libraries identified 88 relevant research articles and papers. These 88 papers were selected from a long list of 1,102 articles, suggesting that, although interest in farmer–herder conflicts is significant, primary research on the causes of conflicts is scarce. All case studies reviewed make a direct link between farmer–herder conflict and land or natural resources. Nearly all conclude that conflict is increasing or becoming increasingly violent, but only a few present primary evidence to support this claim. Regarding categories of causes, most studies emphasise governance, political and social factors rather than resource scarcity or climate change. These factors include weak or exclusive governance, land issues, poor relationships between groups and ethnic bias. Those are followed by (perceived) pastoral mismanagement, environmental scarcity, violence and human insecurity. Climate change, while a topic of global interest, does not feature as one of the top causes of conflict. While land issues are given prominence, land tenure insecurity is identified tangentially and more through its impacts, such as blocked or limited access to land and natural resources and tenure disputes. The identification of tenure insecurity itself (i.e., the reason this may be happening) is scarce and mentioned in only 13% of cases. This suggests that the analysis of farmer–herder conflicts fails to go to the root causes and focuses instead on what is seen or can be easily quantified and explained. A deeper investigation into the relationship between land tenure, insecurity and conflict is recommended. Women are mentioned in relation to conflict in only 28% of the studies, primarily as victims and less frequently as instigators of conflict or peacemakers. Young people are more frequently mentioned, in 43% of the studies, and primarily as participants in conflict. Youth is not differentiated by sex in these studies, but everything suggests that male youth is being discussed. The findings from this scoping review suggest that more primary research on farmer–herder conflicts is required, and the breaking down of what are normally grouped as ‘causes’ into influencing forces, triggers, sparks and root causes of different depths. In addition, the explicit role of tenure insecurity in farmer–herder conflict, and the role of women and youth in these conflicts, and the impacts on them, needs more attention.
Land conflict dynamics in Africa: A critical review on farmer-pastoralist conflict perspectives
International Journal of Peace and Development Studies , 2022
This paper examines the theoretical bases underlying the causes of land conflicts. It involves a critical analysis of various contentions surrounding land nexus violent conflicts with particular attention to farmer-pastoralist conflicts. The drive for this examination is more on a comparison of causes between such conflicts in varying contexts of African. The major aim is to broaden the understanding about the nature of these conflicts with the prospect of setting grounds for scholars and policy makers for reviewing and crafting relevant intervening measures. The paper draws on debates and literature on farmer-pastoralist conflict to develop insights into their dynamics. This aims at making stakeholders informed of the existing gaps in research and underlying causes that could be capitalized on in devising relevant mitigating measures. The review shows that the uncontrolled interaction of the supply; demand and structural induced aspects contribute to the state of inequality, competition, and conflicts among land users. This situation is found to be aggravated by the social and political conditions surrounding the causes and governance of natural resources, with typical scenario of the changing policies of land tenure that have exacerbated increasing land grabbing and tenure insecurities. The paper recommends the need for revisiting the formal and informal structures that governs resource distribution in a bid to alleviate existing land-access inequalities and conflicts.
2017
Violent conflicts, particularly farmer-herder conflicts have, for a long time, been a common feature of economic livelihood in West Africa (Bleach, 2004). This thesis explores the causes and the effects of farmer-Fulani herdsmen conflict, and the mitigation responses towards the conflict. The resource scarcity, eco-survivalism and social capital theories (Hommer-Dixon, 1999; Okoli, 2013; Bourdieu, 1986) serve as the main theoretical point of discussion for this study. Using Agogo in Ghana as a case study, the study empirically examines the reasons behind the movement of the Fulani herdsmen to Agogo, the causes of the conflict relationship between the farmers and the herdsmen, and the consequences of such relationship. The study also assesses local community and national level responses towards the conflict. Based on a qualitative research strategy; semistructured interviews and FGDs responses, observational notes as well as various documents were analysed to shed light on the various themes raised. The study finds that the prevalence of Fulani herdsmen in Agogo is because of the presence of 'special' pasture, availability of land for leasing, support from influential people, availability of water, absence of tsetse fly (glossina) and market opportunity. Further, the causes of the conflict relationship between the farmers and the Fulani herdsmen were the destruction of farms and crops, shooting and killing of innocent people, threat and intimidation, rape and sexual harassment, bush burning, water pollution, armed robbery by the nomads, spraying of weeds with weedicides, cattle rustling and killing. Even though the two groups are at the forefront of the conflict, there are many actors involved with competing interests. Consequently, the conflict has generated humanitarian, economic, social, security and natural effects on the socioeconomic development of the community. Finally, the study identified the "Operation Cowleg" as the local community and national level response in dealing with the conflict. However, the policy is not sustainable because; most of the cattle are owned by influential Ghanaians with competing interest in the cattle business in Agogo, issues of bribery and corruption in the operation, as well as the ECOWAS protocol. Based on the findings, the study recommends the following short, medium and long terms solutions; dialogue and settlement committee, creation of buffer zone, socialisation and integration, distribution and relocation, ranching system, proper land arrangement.
In this study the researcher examined the causes and effects of farmers-herders conflict in Hong and Gombi LGAs of Adamawa state, Nigeria. The sample size for the study consisted of 120 farmers and herdsmen respondents recruited from the two LGAs. Chi-square test and descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data generated from the respondents. Findings from this study revealed that the major causes of farmersherders conflict across Hong and Gombi LGAs in Adamawa State include; destruction of farm produce and/or farmlands, harassment of herdsmen by host youths, stray cattle, sexual harassment of women by herdsmen and indiscriminate bush burning. The effects of farmers-herders conflicts as revealed from the study include; destruction of lives and properties beyond the farmlands, distrust between farmers and herdsmen as they perceive each party to be an enemy; hence, finding it difficult to cohabit in the same communities, the displacement of locals thereby rendering them internally displaced, acquisition of arms/weapons, disruption of farming activities, increased sexual harassment and rape and disruption of economic activities. A significant relationship exist between farmers-herders conflicts and resources sustainability in affected communities. From the study, some of the sustainable solutions/recommendations to the age-long conflicts include; ranching method of cattle farming, establishment of local policing and vigilante groups, involvement of both parties in dispute resolution mechanisms for peaceful coexistence , reorientation of the locals on the essence of peaceful coexistence and tolerance irrespective of background and religion differences and fair treatment without fear or favour in decision making processes by the law enforcement agents.
The research paper analysed the fine causes of farmer herder conflicts in Nigeria and also examined the magnitude of the conflict in terms of its evolution from an agricultural resource conflict to a less definable crisis that threatens to tear down the fabric of national unity. Continual misconceptions and misinterpretations of causes and motives of the conflict project further the polarized nature of Nigerian inter-ethnic interactions and the gradual diminishing of national identity. Greater incidence and intensity of the farmer-herder conflict has given rise to more violent herders and a tribal militia movement seeking to match the aggression. Analysts have expressed fear of these conflicts spiralling into a complex civil war and the need for the government to grab a hold of the conflicts for the sake of the parties involved. A total of 384 farmers and herders from conflict prone areas have been used for this study. The results and transcripts of the FGD were collated and summarised, they formed the substance of the tables developed. The key objective of the study is to arrive at some of the less empirical but silently impactful causes and magnitude of the farmer-herder conflicts which has been declared the deadliest conflict form in Nigeria. Developing a long-term, farreaching and all-inclusive framework for the mutually beneficial use of land resources by all factions embroiled in this conflict is a first step to resolving the conflicts has been recommended.
www.ijsrp.org Persistence of Farmer-Herder Conflicts in Tanzania
2015
Abstract- The study was conducted to examine the factors that have contributed to the causes and persistence of farmer-herder conflicts in Tanzania. The work is anchored on the fact that there have been numerous efforts by the government to bring to an end the conflicts between farmers and herders but these conflicts have been escalating and are becoming economically and socially unbearable. Respondents for the study included farmers, herders, and district level officials in Kilombero, Kiteto, Rufiji and Kilosa districts. Focus Group Discussions were conducted to collect information on conflict resolution mechanisms and the persistence of the conflicts in their areas. Key informants interviews and discussions involving individual farmers, herders, village leaders and district government leaders were also conducted. Major factors for the persistence of conflicts between farmers and herders were found to include policy deficiencies and contradictions, insecurity of land tenure, inadeq...
Journal of African Studies and Development , 2022
This article provides a critical review of the different theoretical perspectives on the existing conflict management mechanisms. Focus has been paid on the dynamics surrounding these mechanisms in relation to the changing contexts and times. The primary aim is: First, to identify what is already known about the available conflict-management mechanisms for handling farmer-pastoralist conflicts including the current direction of the research; second, to develop a relevant synthesis framework that can: (a) reflect the strengths and pitfalls of the available conflict management mechanisms in relation to the changing nature of the conflicts, (b) inform the development and analysis of case study research on the relevance of the existing mechanisms for conflict management in relation to the nature of the conflicts; third, to clarify key areas of discussion and further inquiry on conflict management mechanisms to which this review might usefully contribute. The article draws from critical literature, theoretical and case study analysis to gain an insight into dynamics surrounding farmer-pastoral conflicts management approaches. The central question guiding this discussion is 'what dynamics surround farmer-pastoral conflict management mechanisms across varying contexts and times in sub-Saharan Africa? The article concludes that there is hardly any single mechanism capable of addressing the different causes of the farmer-pastoralist conflicts and more so in varying contexts and times. This situation suggests complementarity as perhaps a relevant approach for meaningful farmer-pastoralist conflicts management.