Agro-pastoral mediation in the Sahel

Across the Sahel region, conflicts are growing more frequent and volatile along seasonal grazing routes between nomadic groups and farming communities. As demographic pressure, climate change and armed conflicts intensify the scarcity of natural resources, the micro-conflicts over transhumance are in danger of becoming militarised as inter-community and political tensions rise. To reduce the risks, the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD) has been convening mediation processes in various parts in the Sahel region between herder and farmer communities since 2015 to prevent and peacefully manage disputes over natural resources. 

Over the last six years, HD has led conflict resolution training for 2,000 agropastoral mediators who have fanned out across 129 border communities in Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad.