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Harnessing the Social Energies of Youths in Farming and Pastoral Communities in Managing Conflicts in Nigeria

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 July 2022

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Abstract

In spite of the growing recognition of the agency of youths in volatile societies, youths continue to be an under-utilized resource in conflict management. Thus, drawing on qualitative fieldwork in Nigeria, Adzande examines how youths are contributing to the management of farmer-herder conflicts. This study shows that youths are involved in informal policing as community vigilantes, as well as participating in mediation and the enforcement of restorative justice. A new initiative which is yet to be evaluated is the community-based security architecture in which youths can work with other actors to facilitate early warning, prevention, and resolution of conflicts between farmers and herders.

Résumé

Résumé

Malgré la reconnaissance croissante de l’apport des jeunes dans les sociétés instables, les jeunes continuent d’être une ressource sous-utilisée dans la gestion des conflits. Ainsi, en s’appuyant sur un travail de terrain qualitatif au Nigeria, Adzande examine comment les jeunes contribuent à la gestion des conflits entre agriculteurs et éleveurs. Cette étude montre que les jeunes participent à des services de police informels en tant qu’autodéfense communautaires, ainsi qu’à la médiation et à l’application de la justice réparatrice. Une nouvelle initiative qui n’a pas encore été évaluée est l’architecture de sécurité communautaire dans laquelle les jeunes peuvent travailler avec d’autres acteurs pour faciliter l’alerte précoce, la prévention et la résolution des conflits entre agriculteurs et éleveurs.

Resumo

Resumo

Apesar de se reconhecer cada vez mais a agencialidade da juventude em sociedades voláteis, os jovens continuam a ser um recurso subutilizado na gestão de conflitos. Neste contexto, partindo de um trabalho de campo de natureza qualitativa realizado na Nigéria, Adzande analisa o modo como os jovens têm contribuído para a gestão dos conflitos entre agricultores e pastores. Este estudo mostra que os jovens estão envolvidos em ações de policiamento informal, servindo como vigilantes comunitários, e que têm participado na mediação e na aplicação de uma justiça reparadora. Entretanto, está em curso uma nova iniciativa, ainda não sujeita a avaliação: um esquema securitário baseado nas comunidades, no qual os jovens podem trabalhar com outros atores para facilitar e deteção precoce, a prevenção e a resolução de conflitos entre agricultores e pastores.

Keywords

farmer-herder conflictssocial energiespastoralistsyouthpeacebuildingNigeria
Type
Forum: Farmer-Pastoralist Interactions and Resource-Based Conflicts in Africa: Drivers, Actors, and Pathways to Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding
Information
African Studies Review , Volume 65 , Issue 2 , June 2022 , pp. 479 - 503
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the African Studies Association

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