About The Project

The cultural and livelihood differences between pastoralists and farmers have lasted for many generations, as have their patterns of coexistence. In recent years, however, the line dividing pastoralists and farmers has widened in parts of Nigeria and other countries across the Sahel.

The conflict has strong ethno-religious dimensions, requiring the involvement of Muslim and Christian faith leaders to co-initiate and co-facilitate a process of intercultural dialogue. Government and grassroots actors work towards transforming violent conflict through fostering mutual understanding, trust, participatory action-planning and livelihood collaboration.

This project creates a positive feedback loop in which intercultural cooperation enhances livelihood collaboration and improves the rural economy, thereby reducing intercultural tensions over natural resources and thus empowering development. An example is when pastoralists’ livestock feed from crop stubble. They then fertilize the farmers’ fields, and when farmers safeguard trees, the pastoralists’ livestock have fodder. This creates a situation that is beneficial to all. This project uses intercultural dialogue and cooperation in an integrated approach to address environmental degradation, climate change, human insecurity and conflict.