By Solomon Gumah
Tamale, Dec. 11, GNA – A National-Level Desk Review on Herder–Farmer Conflicts in Ghana has recommended the adoption of holistic, locally grounded, and well-coordinated strategies to address the persistent tensions between herders and farmers across the country.
The review highlighted the strengthening of community-based land governance systems, enhanced inter-agency coordination, and the revitalisation of local enforcement mechanisms as key tools for mitigating the rising incidences of herder-farmer conflicts.
It underscored the need for inclusive stakeholder participation and the development of early warning systems to detect and respond swiftly to emerging tensions.
These recommendations were presented in Tamale during a stakeholder forum organized to validate and disseminate the research findings.
The research was commissioned by the Tama Foundation, an NGO, committed to sustainable peacebuilding, natural resource governance, and community empowerment, under the Action for Sustainable Natural Resource Management (ASNRM) initiative with funding support from the STAR Ghana Foundation.
The event, held on the theme: “Towards Coordinated Action: Strengthening Policy Responses to Farmer-Herder Conflicts in Ghana,” brought together representatives of civil society organisations, traditional and religious authorities, security agencies, and the media.
A panel discussion followed the presentation of the findings to solicit stakeholders’ inputs and strategise on the way forward including the adoption of the ranching concept, establishment of grazing reserves, implementation, and enforcement of laws in the country.
Dr Ibrahim Mohammed Gadafi, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Political Science, University for Development Studies (UDS), who presented the findings, said herder-farmer tensions were deeply rooted in struggles over land resources, pastoral migration patterns, and socio-political dynamics.
The review cited a 2024 study conducted by TAMA Foundation and UDS, which recorded 64 natural resource-related conflicts in northern Ghana with herder-farmer conflicts being among the most prominent.
It noted that such conflicts dated back to pre-twentieth century movements driven by the search for grazing lands and informal arrangements between pastoralists and local chiefs.
The findings said tensions had been recorded across several regions including the Northern, Savannah, North East, Upper East, Upper West, Oti, Bono East, Volta, and Ashanti Regions.
Districts such as Bawku West, Yendi, Krachi East, Kintampo North, Atebubu-Amantin and Nkwanta South were identified as hotspots due to the convergence of migratory herders and farming communities.
The review observed a rising trend in both the frequency and severity of the conflicts since the early 2000s shifting from earlier forms of peaceful dispute resolution to violent confrontations involving fatalities, property destruction, and armed retaliation.
It examined the effectiveness of the ECOWAS Transhumance Protocol, national policy frameworks, and the operations of the Ghana Cattle Ranching and Transhumance Committee, identifying gaps in implementation, weak coordination, and limited community involvement as key challenges undermining existing interventions.
The findings proposed stronger governance structures, improved policy execution, well-resourced national and regional coordination mechanisms, and the adoption of local innovations such as Integrated Landscape Approaches, which had shown promise in reducing tensions in some communities.
Dr Chrys Anab, Executive Director of the Tama Foundation, said the forum was organised to re-engage stakeholders to explore practical strategies for addressing herder-farmer conflicts.
He recalled that in 2024, with funding support from the Ford Foundation, Tama Foundation partnered the Faculty of Natural Resources and Environment of UDS to conduct a study on natural resource conflicts in northern Ghana.
He said, “We identified 64 active natural resource conflicts, and among the 11 resources analysed, the top three in terms of conflict profile were mining, herder-farmer conflicts, and charcoal burning.”
Dr Anab emphasised that farmer-herder conflicts were widespread and rampant across districts and communities in Ghana saying dialogue and inclusive engagement remained the most effective approaches.
He said, “Sometimes, we tend to use violence to address farmer-herder tensions, which is not sustainable. We must adopt existing community strategies and work closely with stakeholders including District Assemblies to deal with the issues.”
Naa Ibrahim Alabira, Chief of Sakpe in the Mion Traditional Area, recounted multiple cases of farmer-herder disputes he settled at his palace daily, and appealed for more amicable approaches rather than violence.
Alhaji Yakubu Musah Barry, General Secretary of Tabital Pulaaku, a global Fulbe movement, commended Tama Foundation, and partners for organising the forum describing it as a step in the right direction toward reducing farmer-herder tensions.
He urged District Assemblies to prioritise data collection to track the movement, intentions, and settlement locations of migrant herders to facilitate effective monitoring.
He added that proper regulation would also create revenue opportunities for local authorities and the government.
Alhaji Barry expressed optimism that the review would guide evidence-based policies and community-led strategies to enhance peaceful co-existence between herders and farmers in the country.
GNA
Edited by Eric K. Amoh/Linda Asante Agyei