Preventing conflicts over natural resources in Niger and Burkina Faso

For centuries, farmers and herders living in the Sahel have competed over natural resources, both between and amongst themselves. This competition has intensified for a number of reasons: demographic boom, social inequalities, climate change, dwindling natural resources, and poor farming practices.

For centuries, farmers and herders living in the Sahel have competed over natural resources, both between and amongst themselves. This competition has intensified for a number of reasons: demographic boom, social inequalities, climate change, dwindling natural resources, and poor farming practices.

“Thanks to the local convention, a ban on felling trees has been implemented. The area is now heavily reforested and green.” Wazirou Abdou Gago President of a grazing committee in Niger

Results

• To date, over 40 agreements of this type have been signed, covering about 690,000 hectares.
• These agreements helped to reduce conflicts in some regions by half. In 2021, with the support of USAID, the Nigerien government included this methodology into national guidelines for communal development plans.

Copyright photo: © USAID / Winrock / Leonora Baumann