Migration, Farmer-Herder Conflict and the Challenges of Peacebuilding in the Agogo Traditional Area, Ghana

Abstract

Recently, communities in Agogo Traditional Area (ATA) have witnessed an increasing spate of violence leading to loss of lives, loss of livelihoods, insecurity and severe injury among others. This article explores the “local” in peacebuilding by addressing the following research questions: first, how do Agogo indigenes in the diaspora contribute to peacebuilding in Agogo Traditional Area? Second, in which ways do the engagement of Fulani herders and indigenous farmers influence the process of peacebuilding in Agogo Traditional Area? The article employed in-depth interviews, participant observation, key informant interviews and focus group discussions in the data collection process. From an interdisciplinary perspective, the research has introduced the activities of transnational migrants into the discourse of peacebuilding as it positions Ghanaians in the diaspora as local actors engaged in the farmer-herder conflict in ATA. This study has shown that in the case of ATA, despite the potential benefits of the local peacebuilding including the contribution of the diaspora, it is bedeviled with challenges such as mistrust and inadequate resources. The article recommends that local peacebuilding be detached from adjudication in the court of law because the local actors perceive the court as external and ambivalent to the cultural context of local conflicts.

Understanding climate-induced migration in West Africa through the social transformation lens

“…Recently, the increasing migration of Fulani herders and other vulnerable populations from the Sahel and their settlement in countries along the coast has also become a source of concern for regional governments. This form of migration is triggered by climatic conditions and has also contributed to recurring conflict between herders and farmers or migrants and indigenous populations (Tonah, 2006;Bonye et al, 2021;Setrana and Kyei, 2021).…”

Big Men, Small Boys; A Power Dimension Perspective of Farmers–Herdsmen Conflict in Ghana

“…As a result, traditional rulers have failed to mediate the resolution of these conflicts. A study by Acheampong (2017) provided evidence of lands being leased to cattle owners by the traditional chiefs in AAND. During our interviews, herders alleged that, in some cases, cattle were used as the means of payment in the land leasing agreements.…”

Farmer-Pastoralist Interactions and Resource-Based Conflicts in Africa: Drivers, Actors, and Pathways to Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding

“…While recent literature (e.g., Setrana & Kyei 2021; Tieku et al 2021) is replete with reports and studies of growing conflicts between these groups, primarily over competition for access to land and water, and emerging landscapes of insecurities spanning several regions, this forum seeks to combine an analysis of the drivers of conflicts with the ways social energies are being harnessed in the pursuit of conflict transformation across Africa. Drawing on cases from both West and East Africa, the forum examines the ways in which globalization, climate and environmental change, increased access to small arms and light weapons, contested citizenship rights, governance deficits, and the emergence of community-based associations have impacted inter-group and intra-group relations across many African countries.…”