The Centre for Democratic Development Research and Training (CEDDERT) in Zaria, and ENABLE2, a DFiD project, will hold a seminar on the conflicts between farmers and pastoralists, currently ravaging communities across Kaduna, Katsina and Zamfara states.
In a statement, the Executive Director of CEDDERT, Dr Abubakar Siddique Mohammed, explained the reason for the proposed seminar: “Over the last three decades, most of the states in the northern part of Nigeria have experienced one form of violent conflict or the other resulting from farmer/pastoralist clashes. The information about these conflicts, as reported, paints a depressing picture and points to a future of chaos, social disarray and political instability. The problem, however, is that much of the available information about herders-pastoralists conflicta is inaccurate, one-sided, deliberately misleading or does not give an accurate account of their genesis, causes, nature and patterns. As one attack leads to another, more lives, properties and means to livelihood have been destroyed. As these conflicts persist, their root causes, nature, patterns and consequences have not been fully investigated so as to find durable and sustainable solutions.”
The statement further added that the seminar would discuss research findings and the economic impact of the conflicts on the livelihoods of the affected communities.
“The broader objective for conducting the research is to proffer solutions to policy makers based on evidence form the research findings,” Siddique said.
Representatives of relevant government departments and agencies, peace-builders, social and community development workers, development communicators, farmers, pastoralists, agricultural cooperatives, are expected to participate in the seminar, where the findings of the study would be unveiled.

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