The Effectiveness of Government Strategies in Resolving Farmers-Herdsmen Conflict in Adamawa State
- September 4, 2019
- Posted by: RSIS
- Category: Political Science
International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume III, Issue VIII, August 2019 | ISSN 2454–6186
The Effectiveness of Government Strategies in Resolving Farmers-Herdsmen Conflict in Adamawa State
Mustapha Salihu
MSc. Conflict, Peace and Strategic Studies, Department of Political Science, Nile University Abuja, Nigeria
Abstract:- The objective of this paper is three-fold: (1) to investigate the extent of farmers-herdsmen conflict in Adamawa State, Nigeria; (2) to examine consequences of farmer-herdsmen conflict in the study area; and (3) to assess the effectiveness of Government strategies in resolving farmers-herdsmen conflict in Adamawa State. Methodologically, secondary data sources have been relied upon. The study also adopted descriptive research and impact assessment methods in order to describe the extent and consequences of conflict between farmers and herders, as well to assess the effectiveness of Government strategies in resolving farmers-herdsmen conflict in Adamawa State. The parameter for assessing the effectiveness of the conflict resolution strategies is the decline/increase in the rate of farmers-herdsmen clash and the rate of casualty accompanying the clash. The study findings indicated that the government is up and doing with effort to tackle the problem of farmers-herdsmen conflict in Adamawa State by introducing such measures as security and legal actions, creation of grazing reserves, development programmes, cattle colonies and national livestock transformation plan, organized dialogue and negotiations, and comprehensive livestock development plan. Yet, these measures did not yield the desired outcome-ending or drastically reducing farmers-herdsmen conflict. There is an upsurge in the rate of violent clashes between farmers and herders in the various parts of the country, Adamawa State in particular. In the first half of 2018, more than 1,300 Nigerians have been killed and valuable properties worth billions of Naira have been destroyed in the violent confrontation between herders and farmers. In conclusion, to overcome the menace of farmers-herdsmen conflict in Adamawa State, there should be systematic effort for identifying the root causes of the problem because to cure a cancer, we have to understand the root cause of the cancer. More importantly, effective leadership is necessary for any agency or policy to work effectively.
Keywords: Adamawa, Conflict, Conflict resolution, Farmers-herdsmen conflict, Strategies.
