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Nigeria Loses $14 Billion Annually to Herdsmen-Farmers Clashes - Report
Posted by George on Fri 15th Apr, 2016 - tori.ngThe incessant conflicts between the Fulani herdsmen and Nigerian farmers has led to major financial losses on the part of the country.
The ongoing conflict between farmers and herdsmen across the North-Central is costing Nigeria at least $14 billion in potential revenues annually, a new report by a global humanitarian organisation, Mercy Corps, has found according to Premium Times.
Mercy Corps, funded by the British Department for International Development (DFID) issued the report after a research it carried out between 2013 and 2016 on the causes and effects of the perennial clashes between herdsmen and farmers in Nigeria.
The report was officially launched at an event at Transcorp Hotel, Abuja, on Thursday.
The clashes, which have resulted in the death of thousands of rural dwellers over the past two decades, usually arise from disagreements over the use of essential resources such as farmland, grazing areas and water, the research found.
“While Boko Haram violence in Northeast Nigeria garners the majority of media attention, the study shows that ongoing, low-level conflict is thwarting the country’s economic development to an enormous extent,” Iveta Ouvry, country director of Mercy Corps, said.
“We found that the average household affected by conflict today could see income increase by at least 64 percent, and potentially 210 percent or higher, if conflicts were resolved.”
The research looked into the effects of the conflict and the potential peace on federal and state revenues, as well as on household economics.
The report suggested that the peace-building efforts at the local level were limited and, in many cases, counter-productive to long-term growth.
Based on the research, Mercy Corps urged the Nigerian government and international donors to quickly increase investment to resolve inter-communal clashes in Nigeria and to ensure conflict management and livelihood development strategies positively reinforce each other.
Ms. Ouvry further stated that “Effective conflict management programming can yield high financial returns to donors and governments, with peace dividends more than covering programme cost.”
Mercy Corps said it had worked in Nigeria since 2012, supporting communities to resolve conflicts peacefully and strengthen governance systems, helping families access financial services and new job skills, empowering girls to stay in school, and teaching business development to young women.
Mercy Corps, funded by the British Department for International Development (DFID) issued the report after a research it carried out between 2013 and 2016 on the causes and effects of the perennial clashes between herdsmen and farmers in Nigeria.
The report was officially launched at an event at Transcorp Hotel, Abuja, on Thursday.
The clashes, which have resulted in the death of thousands of rural dwellers over the past two decades, usually arise from disagreements over the use of essential resources such as farmland, grazing areas and water, the research found.
“While Boko Haram violence in Northeast Nigeria garners the majority of media attention, the study shows that ongoing, low-level conflict is thwarting the country’s economic development to an enormous extent,” Iveta Ouvry, country director of Mercy Corps, said.
“We found that the average household affected by conflict today could see income increase by at least 64 percent, and potentially 210 percent or higher, if conflicts were resolved.”
The research looked into the effects of the conflict and the potential peace on federal and state revenues, as well as on household economics.
The report suggested that the peace-building efforts at the local level were limited and, in many cases, counter-productive to long-term growth.
Based on the research, Mercy Corps urged the Nigerian government and international donors to quickly increase investment to resolve inter-communal clashes in Nigeria and to ensure conflict management and livelihood development strategies positively reinforce each other.
Ms. Ouvry further stated that “Effective conflict management programming can yield high financial returns to donors and governments, with peace dividends more than covering programme cost.”
Mercy Corps said it had worked in Nigeria since 2012, supporting communities to resolve conflicts peacefully and strengthen governance systems, helping families access financial services and new job skills, empowering girls to stay in school, and teaching business development to young women.
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