By
Shekara Anthony
The vice Chancellor, Modibbo Adama University Yola, Professor Abdullahi Liman Tukur, says Climate Change is one of the key drivers of farmers herders crisis in Nigeria.
The Vice Chancellor stated this at a Seminar on Cross Border Pastoralism, Environmental Change, and Farmer-Herder Relations in Adamawa State at the Centre For Peace and Security Studies, Modibbo Adama University, Yola.
Represented by Professor Abel Adebayo, the Dean, School of Post Graduate Studies, Modibbo Adama University, Yola, Professor Abdullahi Liman Tukur, said the shrinking land and water resources partly due to climate change has contributed to the lingering farmers herders conflict that has impacted negatively on the agriculture sector and human lives.
In his seminar presentation on Pastoral Mobility, Inter Group Relations and peace Building in the Border Lands of Nigeria and Cameroon, the lead researcher of the project, Dr. Adam Higazi, from University of Armsterdam, who also works closely with the Modibbo Adama University, debunked the widely perceived notion that most of the herders in Nigeria actually moved into the country from other countries, stating that the research instead revealed that there’s more movement of herders from Nigeria to Cameroon, extending to the Central African Republic.
Dr. Higazi, identified some of the factors that are responsible for the long battle between farmers and herders to include shortage of grazing land, population growth in the North, political economy of the country and activities of land grabbers, suggesting that Nigeria should revisit the 1978 land use Act as well as protect the grazing reserves.
He further recommended that the Federal Government should remap cattle routes across the country, come up with a realistic programme on ranching and ensure the education of its citizens especially the rural dwellers.
On her part, the West African Programme Director of a peace building organization called Reconciliation Resources, Janet Adama Mohammed, identified over taxation of herders at several points in the course of their movement from the borders and across communities, pointing out that the research also revealed that the herders are forced to vaccinate their cattle at a huge cost, which according to her are some of the contributory factors to conflicts among farmers and herders.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Director, Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, Modibbo Adama University, Yola, Professor Jude Momodu, explained that findings of the research will be useful to the government and policy makers, advising government to employ the use of technology in growing grasses and improved variety of cows, adding that farmers and herders will continue to be engaged so as to reduce incidences of clashes.
The research presentation attracted seasoned academics from within and outside Adamawa state, security agents, government and Non Governmental Organizations.
