Category: Farmer Conflict
As multiple large-scale interests collide in the desire for more land and water resources (e.g., agribusiness, conservation initiatives, extractive industries, infrastructure projects), this strains available land and has produced increased levels of conflict between indigenous peoples and farming communities, who constitute the majority of rural residents in Africa. This gets misconstrued in media report as “ethnic conflict” or “tribalism” when it actually is the result of conflict over ever dwindling resources.
Kilosa and Mvomero
Farmers encroaching on pastoralist village land has led to violent conflict in Kilosa and Mvomero districts.
Mbororo vs. Civil Strife
An ongoing civil war between Anglophone Cameroonians and the Francophone government has led to increasing ethnic tensions and strife that has consequently contributed to the displacement and loss of livelihood of pastoralist Mbororo.
Fulani Herders vs. Farmers
Land scarcity, population growth, and herder restrictions spark ongoing violence between the Muslim Fulani herders and Christian farmers in Nigeria. Picture Credit: Adriane Ohanesian from New York Times
Khoisan in South Africa
Photo Credit: Atlanta Black Star
Hanang
A vast Canadian wheat cultivation scheme deprived indigenous Barabaig pastoralists of their ancestral land in the 1970s. Subsequent development projects, population growth, and conservation activities have made the pursuit of pastoral livelihoods even more difficult. Photo Credit: Dana Ullman/The GroundTruth Project
Morogoro
Maasai communities are facing violent attacks and eviction due to agricultural investments, conservation, and discrimination by farmers.
Rufiji
Rufiji is the southernmost district of Pwani Region. Land conflicts in this district have mainly taken place around the villages of Ikwiriri and Utete. The pastoralist population dramatically increased in the area after herders were evicted from Mbarali District in Mbeya Region in 2006-07. (Photo credit: ACAI Initiative)
Kiteto
The Emborley Murtangos Community Reserve was founded in 2002 after the Kiteto District Council received requests from seven predominantly Maasai villages in the district to pool areas of their respective village lands. This area has faced repeated invasions by outside farmers, which has led to years of conflict and legal battles. Photo credit: The Citizen
The Borana
The Borana live in the Oromia region of southern Ethiopia. Despite holding off major industrial change, they are in land disputes with the government and other pastoralist groups in Kenya. Photo credit: CGIAR, ILRI/S.Mann