IPCR, L-PRES, Bauchi Govt Strengthen Efforts to End Farmer-Herder Conflicts

By Uzairu Dauda Bunga:

The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) and the Bauchi State Government have renewed efforts to curb farmer-herder conflicts through dialogue, capacity building and stronger enforcement of the state’s Right-of-Way Law.

Speaking at a four-day training for Conflict Prevention Committee on Conflict Mitigation in Bauchi, IPCR team lead, Barr. Paul Andrew Gwaza, said the initiative, organised in collaboration with the World Bank initiative Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) Project, is a Federal Government programme aimed at promoting peaceful coexistence nationwide.

Gwaza said recurring clashes between farmers and herders have continued to claim lives, destroy livelihoods and threaten food security and national development.

He urged participants to apply the knowledge gained during the training in their communities to strengthen peace and agricultural productivity.

In his remarks, the Bauchi State Commissioner for Livestock Development, Dr. Bala Musa Lukshi, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to reducing conflicts through the enforcement of the Right-of-Way Law, reopening blocked cattle routes and strengthening collaboration with stakeholders.

He said Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed has signed the Right-of-Way Law, while a mobile court has been established to prosecute offenders, which is been expected to begin operations on August 5.

According to Lukshi, the government has approved a 45-metre right-of-way on both sides of major roads to prevent farming activities that obstruct livestock movement and contribute to accidents and disputes.

Also speaking, Bauchi State L-PRES Coordinator, Dr. Musa Adamu One, represented by the project’s Environmental Officer, Habila Simon Dallami, said the project is investing in water supply, pasture development, livestock infrastructure and conflict resolution to reduce tensions between farmers and herders.

He disclosed that L-PRES has drilled 48 boreholes, established 20 hectares of pasture, constructed 10 modern slaughterhouses and secured approval for additional boreholes, pasture sites and water-retention structures across the state.

Dallami added that the state’s Conflict Resolution Committee has resolved between 70 and 80 per cent of reported disputes, expressing confidence that ongoing interventions will further promote peaceful coexistence and improve livestock productivity.