Group says unity among farmers, herders key to agriculture dev't

International Fund for Agricultural Development-Value Chain Development Programme (IFAD-VCDP), says that resolution of conflicts between farmers and herders is key to rapid development of agriculture and livestock in the country.

Dr Mathew Ahmed, the Niger Programme Coordinator IFAD-VCDP, said this on Friday in Bida, during a one-day workshop on conflict resolution organised for farmers, herders, security agencies, community and religious leaders in the state.

"If there is no peace in the land the farmers and herders will not have rest of mind to carry out their farming and grazing activities.

"You will agree with me that we need both of them because they produce food and meat (protein) for the people through their activities.

"This is why we brought the stakeholders together to brainstorm on how to make peace when there is conflict or in the alternative prevent conflict,'' he said.

Ahmed said that there was the need for the farmers and herders to live peacefully for agri-businesses to thrive in the country and ensure food security of the state and the nation.

The State Programme Coordinator said that peace among farmers and herders would create more jobs and increase wealth for persons engaged in agri-businesses.

"No business will thrive when the environment is not peaceful, including agri-business,'' he said.

He noted that farmers and herders are working to achieve the same goal of feeding the people.

"In case of any conflict, what matters is how the conflict is resolved to bring about peaceful co-existence which will enable rapid development of agriculture in the country,'' he said.

Ahmed urged the stakeholders to take the training serious as they are expected to step it down in their communities.

Similarly, Dr Diamond Preye, IFAD-VCDP Consultant said that before now farmers and herders across the country lived in peace.

Preye said that due to modernisation, climate change, urbanisation and other forms of development, there was rift between the farmers and herders.

She said it was important to arm the farmers, herders and other stakeholders with the necessary tool to resolve conflict in order to live peacefully.

The Consultant from the Abdulsalami Abubakar Institute for Peace and Sustainable Development Studies, Minna, said that in order to achieve peace between farmers and herders stakeholders adjudicating on their case must not be bias.

"In resolving conflict between the farmers and herders the stakeholders such as the security agencies, traditional leaders, religious leaders and others must not take sides in order to build trust.

"When there is no trust any party may become frustrated and sometimes resort to taking the law into their hands,'' she said.

She said that making the farmers and herders understand that it was possible to resolve their conflict amicably would earn their confidence.

Preye advised the farmers and herders to always give peace a chance to resolve conflict and be ready to compromise for peace to reign.

Alhaji Salihu Isah, representative of Miyeti Allah from Dikko palace in Bida Emirate, said that the group had worked with the Bida emirate in resolving farmers and herders conflict in the area.

He thanked the IFAD-VCDP for more knowledge on the issue.

ASP Ishaku Isah, Station Officer, "A" Division, Bida said that the police has always advised farmers and herders on why they should adopt alternative conflict resolution.

"It is only when the matter is not resolved amicably that we take them to Court,'' he said.

Alhaji Abdulkadir Ndako, a community leader and farmer from Bida emirate said that he was better informed now on how to resolve conflict with the herders.

Supreme reports that stakeholders from the eight IFAD-VCDP participating Local Government Areas of Bida, Katcha, Kontagora, Shiroro, Edati, Borgu, Wushishi and Mokwa in Niger were represented at the workshop.