Tearfund Sahel Partner Overview - land, conflict, environment
10th January 2014
For more information please contact Stephanie.Gill@tearfund.org
Niger: Pastoralists, land tenure and conflict mediation
Tearfund partner JEMED is a key example of integrated work that focuses on the rights of
pastoralists. JEMED have been working with pastoralists in the Abalack region of Niger for
around 20 years.
At the request of the pastoralists they work with they have helped to establish fixation sites
for pastoralists during dry season, as they have been forced to adapt to the changing
climate. These fixation sites help them to increase resilience to drought and help them
develop economically in the long term and include for example, access schools, health
care, grain banks, and water.
JEMED have spent many years advocating for the reform of the Pastoral Code. This is
because pastoralists have no land tenure in Niger, no matter how many centuries they
have been using it. Pressures of population growth are pushing farmers north into pastoral
lands – this is leading to conflict. In response to this JEMED have also worked to build
peace between competing groups - to discuss the pastoral code and solutions towards
equitable management of natural resources.
The lack of resource management and control is hindering pastoralists in getting any
further in building up resilience – for the pastoralists that JEMED work with, this is their
biggest obstacle to successful adaptation to build resilience.
Burkina Faso: Agriculturalists, land tenure and the environment
In Burkina Faso Tearfund have partners who are working on supporting farmers with
access to land, including for women who are continuously at a disadvantage. Until fairly
recently all land in Burkina Faso was considered state property and customary rights – the
system used by the majority of people – were not recognised. There was therefore no land
tenure security for communities. Although there have been some reforms and
improvements to land laws in Burkina Faso recently there are still many challenges.
Tearfund partners have highlighted that implementation and enforcement of these reforms
still remains a huge challenge. Tearfund’s partners are working to raise awareness among
communities of their rights, and working to strengthen local government and citizens to
help implement this. Another partner that works as a local radio station is raising
awareness about the impact of the gold rush, of companies using chemicals that are
destroying the environment, of farmers having land taken away from them with little or no
compensation and of children being exploited in the process.
Chad: The environment and conflict mediation between agriculturalists and pastoralists
Partners in Chad are also concerned by the impact that oil companies are having on the
environment. In addition to work similar to that in Burkina Faso of trying to implement land
laws and working with the local authorities to do so, two Tearfund partners in Chad who
are working with peace and reconciliation between agriculturalists and pastoralists.
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These partners for the past few years have done work where they bring
both sides together, along with local leaders for a few days at a time to discuss the
different perspectives and grievances. At a local level, local mediation groups have been
established as a result. One partner is now named as a partner in a local development
plan. They are also advocating at a national level on these issues.
Nigeria: Conflict Mediation between Muslims and Christians
In Nigeria Tearfund has partners are undertaking peace-building efforts in response to the
series of conflicts between Muslims and Christians. Partners have done work training of
religious leaders from both Christians and Muslims in Jos North in ‘crisis flash points’. This
also involved work with youths to serve as Peace Ambassadors in their local communities
and signing of inter-faith agreements.
The peace-building training workshop organised by one of the partners was completed two
days prior to the bombing of a Church headquarters in 2012. However reprisal attacks
were averted by youth trained on peace-building.
Mali: Implementing peace processes
In Mali, Tearfund are now developing peace-building work in Mali that is currently being
developed with partners being trained in peace and reconciliation. They plan to develop a
peace-committee to influence and implement peace and reconciliation programmes.
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