United States has waded into the ongoing farmers and herders crisis in the country.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) says “in order to bring this country in check had in partnership with a coalition of international and local partners, successfully concluded a community-driven conflict mitigation intervention to restore peaceful coexistence among farmers and herders in vulnerable communities of Nigeria.”
One of the programmes organized by USAID, called Engaging Local Actors to Promote Peaceful Coexistence among Farmers and Herders in Taraba State (ELAPC), focused on ten communities across four local government areas in Taraba State where violent conflict has damaged relationships along ethnic, political, and religious backgrounds.
A press release by USAID noted that over the last two years, ELAPC has brought together more than 3,600 representatives of farmers and herders, Muslims and Christians, women and youth, as well as people living with disability, to identify and address the drivers of the conflict and adopt inclusive strategies to reduce a culture of violence in the communities.
The press release quoted USAID Mission Director, Anne Patterson to have told participants at the ceremony, that: “This activity has made a real difference for peaceful coexistence in communities, demonstrating that even a modest initiative with communities and local officials can promote more robust collaboration between government and civil society and be real catalysts for positive change,”
The press release noted that ELAPC engaged 600 members of Christian and Muslim women’s groups to mediate divisive issues between farmers and herders such as encroachment onto farmland and destruction of crops, to help reach amicable, non-violent resolutions and settlements. Women, men, and youth acted as community peace observers, and women and youth, as well as people living with disability
