CONSENSUS BUILDING – FADAMA EXAMPLE

1. CONSENSUS BUILDING – FADAMA EXAMPLE BYS.S. AJUWON

2. 1.0 Introduction: The use and management of Common Property Resources (CPR/NR by many stakeholders in fadama lands, is shrouded by lack of defined security and proper rights by users. There is also limited equal access and transparency in the use of Fadama lands. Conflict management mechanisms in the use of CPR is also not effectively implemented by the responsible organizations, and this has been a source of continuous conflict among stakeholders

3. Questions to be Addressed • What are the causes of conflicts within the Fadama communities? • What are the effects of conflicts on the Fadama Communities.? • What are the conflict management mechanism currently in place and the NFDP-II strategy to improve on them.?

4. S What are the causes of conflicts within the Fadama communities? Causes of the Conflicts Land tenure and land use practices • Traditional collective use of land. • Communal ownership rights and use rights. • Decreased communal right. • Enhancement of significance of individual ownership. • Inherent differing perception of land.

5. Non-observation of rules and regulations • Flouting of the dry season farming and grazing rules. • Non-payment of traditional homage/tribute • Lack of information on arrival. Inadequacy of the existing grazing reserves • Encroachment for farming activities. • Land speculation for building • Government development intervention

6. Poor State of the existing grazing reserves • Poorly developed due to over-grazing and poor management. • Characterized by unpalatable shrubs, and weeds. • Lack of watering facilities, vet infrastructures, e.g. clinic, etc. • Poor facilities, such as vaccination centres, cattle dips and feed stores. Blockage and reduction in size of stock routes • Encroachment due to fertility of the land. • Blockage of stock routes • Fadama water and ponds are converted to irrigation water • Boundaries not clear. Commercialization of Crop residue • Treated as economic commodity .

7. Limited use of improved pasture and feeds • Low management of fodder banks. • Low use of supplementary feeds. • High preference for traditional transhumance. Poor land and soil conservation measures • Desert encroachment. • Degradation due to deforestation, erosion, desertification and excessive salinity. Traditional beliefs and practices • Deliberate destruction of crops and properties.

8. What are the effects of conflicts on the Fadama Communities.? Effects of the Conflict • Death of farmers, pastoralists and other settlers. • Destructions of crops, irrigation facilities, loss of properties and animals. • Insecurity and fear among farmers and pastoralists. • Inability to pay back fadama loans. • Reduction in productivity • Defected social relationship and mutual distrust

9. What are the conflict management mechanism currently in place and the NFDP-II strategy to improve on them.? Conflict Mechanism in Place • Traditional Authorities • Legal Authority (Police and Court) • Local and State Governments

10. Traditional Authorities • Village Elders, Ward Heads,Village Heads and District Heads. • Depending on hierarchy, they settle from mild to severe • Shortcomming: - interests in the matters vary from one village to another. - some respond immediately while some delay - court like procedures are set up with witnesses. - site inspections are carried out and cost assessed - but they are occasionally accused of corruption. - some village heads have formed hospitality committees

11. Legal Authority - Police &Court - they are seldom used Local and State Governments - they set up committees to settle disputes - occasionally there are conflicts between Local Government officials and the Traditional Rulers

12. Examples of Strategies In Place in some States (1) BAUCHI STATE Conflict resolution strategies • Minor conflicts • Settled through traditional arbitrators (ward/village heads, district heads. Emir or parties involved). • Hospitality Committee (set up by village heads to meet with pastoralists coming into the community) • Indigenous version of Resource Users Agreement discussed.

13. Major conflicts • Police /Courts • State conflict resolution committee. (Rep. Of DLGC, SSS, Police, Farmers, Pastoralist, with DG (DLG) as Chairman • Local government or district levels committees. • Tool used - radio programmes (Hausa & fufulde) Despite these mechanism, there are complains from the Stakeholders.

14. Complaints • Farmers • Police protects bandits and their god fathers • Govt. is slow to respond to conflicts, lacks preventive measures and provides no relief to victims. • Law enforcement agents favour pastoralists. • Pastoralists • Courts awards high compensation for destructions, • Cattle routes and grazing reserves are not protected. • They are maltreated and exploited.

15. Traditional rulers Erosion of power and authority. Observations of the Researchers • Both farmers and pastoralists take laws into their hands. • Out of 64 grazing reserves in the State only 10 have been gazetted. • 21 grazing reserves are not surveyed and demarcated. • Only 213,550ha grazing reserves are available. • Grazing reserves and stock routes are encroached. • Pasture and watering points are inadequate.

16. (2) KEBBI STATE Conflict resolution strategies • Minor conflicts • Traditional Method Yauri community case : The Emir of Yauri has formed more than 30 professional and tribal associations • Each association elects its chairman and has representative on the Emirate Council • There are 3 levels of conflict resolution committees that have been set up i Low level Committee – members (village head, fulani and farmer leaders. They resolve issues by mediation or compensation.

17. ii.. Middle level committee: members – Districts Head, Sarkin Fulani and Branch Chair of the Farmers Association. Very few issues pass this level without being resolved. It can also withdraw cases from the court • High level committee: member – Emir, Galadima and other members of Emirate Council. The verdict here is final. With these mechanisms in place, the stakeholders and every member of the community have been living peacefully.

18. Major Conflicts • Courts • State Government Committees • Committees on Re-demarcation of Grazing Reserves. • Committee on Farmers/Cattle Rearers’ Despute • The Agricultural Development Programme in the State also assists to settle disputes within the Fadama areas. Apart from all these mechanisms women opinion leaders encourage women to pacify their husbands, reminding them that they and their children are the prime targets during conflicts.

19. Conclusions • Most conflicts arise from competition for use of land, water and grazing resources. • This has to do with a combination of factors principally resulting from a deficiency in the overall national agricultural development strategy. • In all the strategies, it was observed that the traditional method of settling the conflict is the most effective of all the methods. • The CDD to Project Implementation and all inclusive LDPs it is hoped that every conflict of Fadama Resource use will be reduced if not totally wiped out.