The Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES) in Taraba State is promoting dialogue and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) to prevent conflicts between livestock farmers and host communities.
The initiative addresses disputes over land, water access, livestock movement, alleged crop destruction and other competing interests that could threaten peaceful coexistence and livestock production across the state.
Key Highlights
- Taraba L-PRES promotes Alternative Dispute Resolution to prevent farmer-community conflicts.
- A five-day ADR training brought together livestock farmers, host communities and community leaders.
- L-PRES urged stakeholders to resolve disputes through dialogue rather than confrontation.
- Traditional rulers, religious leaders, women’s groups and livestock associations were encouraged to take part in dispute resolution.
- Community-based mechanisms were recommended to address grievances before they escalate.
Five-Day ADR Training Held in Jalingo
The initiative formed part of a five-day ADR training for livestock farmers, host communities, traditional and community leaders and other stakeholders in the livestock sector. Held at Galaxy Spot in Jalingo, the training aimed to equip participants with peaceful ways to manage disagreements and resolve grievances without confrontation.
Speaking during the training, Taraba L-PRES State Project Coordinator Hananiah G. Albert described peace as fundamental to the growth and sustainability of livestock production. Albert was represented by the state project’s ICT and Communications Officer, Ezra Atimas.
Albert said livestock farming remained an important source of livelihood for many people in Taraba. He urged stakeholders to address disputes through dialogue, noting that disagreements left unresolved over time could deepen mistrust and affect communities beyond the parties directly involved.
He said ADR gives disputing parties a chance to listen to one another, understand their concerns and work towards mutually acceptable solutions. He also encouraged participants to share their experiences and take the skills from the training back to their communities.
Community Leaders Urged to Help Resolve Disputes
Albert called for sustainable, community-based channels to address grievances before they develop into crises. He said stronger relationships between livestock farmers and host communities would support peace, security, livestock production and economic development.
Resource person Dr Danjuma Yusuf, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at Taraba State University, urged farmers and host communities to make greater use of existing traditional and community leadership structures when disagreements arise.
Yusuf and other resource persons recommended involving traditional rulers, religious leaders, women’s groups and livestock associations in settling disputes. They said broader participation could build confidence between parties and preserve relationships that might otherwise be damaged by prolonged disagreements.
Focus on Preventing Conflicts
The training presented ADR as both a way to settle disputes and a preventive measure for identifying grievances early. This can be especially important where communities share land, water and livestock routes and have competing interests.
Participants were encouraged to create opportunities for grievances to be raised and discussed before they become violent. Farmers may need recognised channels to raise concerns about grazing areas or water access, while host communities need ways to address crop damage and livestock movement concerns without immediate confrontation.
Participants were urged to take the message of peaceful engagement beyond the training venue and make dialogue part of everyday community relations. As agriculture and livestock provide livelihoods across Taraba, peaceful coexistence remains important to the state’s economic development.
For L-PRES, promoting ADR is an investment in conflict prevention, peaceful coexistence and the future of livestock production in Taraba State. The training details were also reported by The Guardian.
Read also: Taraba L-PRES Advocates Dialogue and Trust to Ease Farmer-Herder Conflicts.
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