A one-day workshop has been held in Port Harcourt to review studies on mitigations to harms done to agric investments.
Details:
Search has begun on how to mitigate the many impacts of kidnapping and herder-farmer clashes which are said to be prominent causes of conflicts in the communities in the oil region.
The conflicts are said to impact heavily on the agric value chain, causing a decline in output and incomes to households.
Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) is said to lead the search for the mitigations.
PIND thus assembled stakeholders and experts in Port Harcourt on May 7, 2025, including persons representing government, the private sector, civil society, development partners, community leaders, peacebuilding actors, representatives of agri-businesses, development partners, and investors, to engage on a matter that is crucial and strategic for the development of the Niger Delta region such as the rising impact of communal conflicts on agricultural investments and to review researched suggestions for solutions.
Welcoming the stakeholders, Tunji Idowu, the executive director of PIND, who was represented by Chuks Ofulue, said PIND is committed to fostering peace and equitable economic growth in the Niger Delta through multi-stakeholder partnerships.
He said PIND supports market-driven development and empowering local communities with tools and knowledge to build their own prosperity with work grounded in evidence.
The executive director said the roundtable dialogue was informed by new findings from their recently published policy brief, which he said explores the devastating impact that communal conflicts, particularly over land, have had on agricultural productivity and investments.
“From land disputes between communities to the ongoing farmer-herder tensions, these conflicts not only result in tragic loss of lives and property but also hinder livelihoods, deter private investment, and threaten food security.
“We recognize that land in the Niger Delta is more than an economic asset it is deeply Intertwined with identity, social legitimacy, and political representation. Therefore, understanding and addressing land-related conflict is central to building a resilient and inclusive agricultural economy.”
PIND engineered the roundtable to deepen understanding of the links between conflict and agriculture, explore how investments can mitigate the drivers of conflict, identify actionable strategies for conflict-sensitive investments, and co-create a multi-stakeholder roadmap to ensure sustainable peace and development outcomes.
All these were contained in the 2024 Niger Delta Annual Conflict Report which was launched at the meeting as another tool to support data-driven dialogue and planning.
In an executive summary of a publication on mitigating the harms, PIND used data from its ‘Partners for Peace’ (P4P) Peace Map and interviews with key stakeholders, including farmers, herders, and investors, to study analyses of how communal conflict impacts agricultural livelihoods and investments.
Most of the presenters and contributors agreed that kidnapping and herder-farmer clashes have emerged in the region and that the forests have been snatched from farmers. Calls were made for urgent action, mostly on community-initiated mitigations in the face of seeming government inertia.
The findings indicate that land competition is a major driver of communal violence, causing substantial disruptions to agricultural activities.
Local responses to these challenges include the hiring of local vigilantes to protect farmers and crops and adopting group farming practices, where multiple families collectively cultivate a plot of land. However, to more effectively address these issues, the report recommends strengthening platforms community-based conflict resolution, for prioritizing livelihood-supporting peace initiatives, and utilizing early warning systems to protect agricultural investments and promote sustainable growth.
It was agreed that communal conflicts, including clashes between herders and farmers are widespread in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region, where disputes over ownership, access, and usage are primary causes of violence. Land is a vital resource that communities. depend on for subsistence and livelihoods.
In the Niger Delta, it holds additional significance OS a cornerstone of communal identity, social legitimacy, and political representation Consequently. disputes over land access and resources have been leading causes of violence and insecurity. Statistics indicate that between January 2014 and December 2023, communal conflicts led to over 800 fatalities in the Niger Delta. Apart from the loss of human life, communal violence also imposes massive socio-economic costs, including the destruction of property and the disruption of livelihoods.’
