Fostering peaceful behaviors among farmers and herders: Impacts of community-driven initiatives and edutainment

The persistent conflict between farmers and herders in many regions poses a significant policy problem, threatening food security, social stability, and economic development. These conflicts often arise from competition over scarce resources such as land and water, exacerbated by climatic changes and population growth. The violence not only disrupts agricultural production but also displaces communities, strains local governance, and hinders sustainable development efforts. In a study by Brottem (2021), Nigeria ranks first among sub-saharan Africa nations facing the menace of farmers-herders clashes. Southern Nigeria is particularly vulnerable to these conflicts due to its high population density, diverse ethnic composition, and the pressure on agricultural land. The migration of herders from the north to the south, driven by desertification and insecurity in northern regions, intensifies competition over land and water resources. This southward movement has led to violent clashes, as local farmers view the herders' presence as a threat to their livelihoods. This project, aimed at fostering peaceful behaviors among farmers and herders through community-driven initiatives and edutainment, directly addresses this policy issue by promoting conflict resolution and enhancing social cohesion. By encouraging dialogue and cooperation, the project seeks to mitigate the root causes of conflict, fostering an environment where both groups can coexist peacefully and sustainably manage shared resources.

By targeting farmer-herder conflicts, the project addresses a critical area of social tension and violence, aligning with HPI’s goal of fostering peaceful societies and reduced attack. The emphasis on community-driven initiatives ensures that the solutions are culturally relevant and locally accepted, resonating with HPI’s priority of empowering local communities to lead conflict resolution efforts. Also, incorporating edutainment leverages creative communication strategies to change attitudes and behaviors, reflecting HPI’s interest in innovative methodologies to influence social change .The use of a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) to evaluate the interventions aligns with HPI’s emphasis.s, and narratives related to the interventions' impact and use to corroborate quantitative data