Farmer/Herder Crisis; The Cost of Communal Discord.
By: Solomon Obadiah
Tags: Nigeria, Undp, Peacebuilding, Farmer Herder Crisis, United Nations

How incessant clashes have influenced the lives of residents in affected communities.

An Amnesty International report in 2018 titled “The Harvest of Death; Three Years of Bloody Clashes between Farmers and Herders in Nigeria” estimated 3,641 deaths between January 2016 & October 2018, with thousands also displaced from their homes. While this is a direct and more visible consequence of the crisis, the conflict has a far more reaching impact on the livelihood, employment, education and inclusion of vulnerable people within and outside the community.

A visit to Keana local government in Nasarawa state shed light on some of the impacts of the crisis. On arrival to Keana one could see a quite somber community, people still trying to regain balance after being heavily shaken by the sad chain of events.

Economic activities is one of the most hit in the crisis, this have resulted in poor market turnout and access to farm produce.

“The market is dull, look at us, business isn’t booming as usual”

Speaking to Madam Hadiza Mohammed 42, a largely warm woman, average height with a contagious smile. She explains how the conflict between the herders and farmers has taken a toll on her business.

Hadiza is a trader who sells corn, millet, soya beans and grinded cassava in both wholesale and retail. She says before the crisis, she purchases crops in bulk from farmers after harvest, while the Fulanis who form the majority of her customer base patronize and buy such farm produce from her. But since the incessant conflicts began “a lot of farmers deserted their farms only few still go into the bush to cultivate crops because they’re scared and this has led to inadequate food supply in the area.” Like the other market women sitting idle, she says if business was booming she wouldn’t have the time to attend to anyone who isn’t there for business. Hadiza relies on the proceeds from her business to fund the education of both her kids. “If business is good, my children would enjoy” but this isn’t the reality of Madam Hadiza and her children at the moment as the market condition isn’t favourable. Still she is hopeful about the future, she believes God will intervene and things will get better like the good old days.

Unemployment and underemployment especially within the youth demographic is another repercussion of the conflict in Keana; many youths are on the brink of losing their source of livelihood.

“I’m slowly losing mastery of my craft, because I don’t work often”

Said a young ambitious Ibrahim Musa, 24 years old, dark and wiry with a funny accent. He is a welder and graduate of the College of Education, Akwanga. As there are no jobs from the government, he had to keep his academic certificate aside while being self-employed in his welding business. He estimates that before the crisis, the farmers make about 30% of his customers who after harvest period have enough money to engage his services by bringing doors, gates etc. for construction. Since the crisis a lot of them have fled leaving him with very few customers. Musa believes that people make up the environment and without peaceful coexistence the environment will not thrive. He is confident that better days are ahead since activities are gradually returning to normal.

The crisis have had a great impact on persons living with disability, many have been ejected from their communities to areas that are unfamiliar to them which greatly affects their jobs and livelihood.

Bala Agidi a visually impaired man, of good cheer and very chatty too, shares how difficult it has been for him to navigate this new community he found himself after being ejected from his hometown due to the crisis. Bala is trying to get accustomed to this unfamiliar environment, while still looking for ways to make ends meet.

“I enjoy socializing, being around people. But I have found great difficulty in doing so because I’ve been displaced from my hometown. This place is new to me. I’m still trying to adjust, navigate the place, know the people and get a means of livelihood”

Bala has faced lots of setbacks in life but he maintains he is not defined by them or his disability. “I will never beg on the streets, I enjoy being independent” he said. He shares a sad story where a former colleague at work calls to tell him about his pay raise, after that call Bala says “I cried”. This is one of the unfortunate situation he finds himself —the loss of his means of livelihood. In this strange land, Bala is hopeful that he will be able to get a decent means of livelihood and make the best of his current situation.