ABUJA- Dr Joseph Ochogwu, the Director-General (DG), Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), on Friday in Abuja, stressed the need to tackle farmers-herders’ conflicts in order to build sustainable peace between both parties.
Ochogwu made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on the sideline of the Second National Conference on the Management of Farmer-Herder Relations in Nigeria.
According to the DG, represented by Dr Emmanuel Mamman, the Director of Conflict Prevention and Resolution, disputes that have led to violent conflicts between farmers and herders had persisted in Nigeria because of competition over natural resources due to demographic growth.
“We all know that natural resources, expansion of human settlements, privatization of land, year-round farming practices, environmental degradation, and climate change are factors that have contributed to this crisis.
“Farmers and herders have major responsibilities in the nation’s economic development, hence the need to address farmers and herders’ conflicts in order to build sustainable peace between both parties,” the DG said, indicating that building bridges for peaceful coexistence between different communities is paramount in mitigating conflicts and creating a harmonious society.
In his remarks, Mr. Baba Ngelzarma, the National President, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN), represented by Adamu Toro, said the members of the association were one of the beneficiaries of this initiative.
He lamented that the Sahel was losing substantial land to desertification, saying nothing is being done by the government.
“When we are trying to find peace, government policies exacerbate the conflicts.
“These government policies, including the Fadama farming programmes and bush clearing, are pushing some of our stakeholders out,” he said.
Ngelzarma appealed to the government to sit with stakeholders to find a way forward to promote sustainable peace between the groups in Nigeria. (NAN)
