Recent research conducted by a collaboration of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), University for Development Studies (UDS), University for Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), and the University of Copenhagen has shed light on the detrimental impact of farmer-herder conflicts on poverty levels in the Afram Plain areas of Asante-Akim North and Sekyere Afram Plain Districts.
Dubbed the “Access Authority Nexus in Farmer-Herder Project,” the study, which commenced in 2019 and received funding from the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), aimed to identify actionable recommendations to mitigate these conflicts and their associated socioeconomic repercussions.
To disseminate the study’s findings and foster dialogue among stakeholders, a project completion and science policy workshop was convened. Participants included community leaders, traditional authorities, farmers, cattle owners, researchers, and representatives from local Assemblies, as well as governmental bodies such as the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), the National Peace Council, and the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC).
Professor Boateng Kyereh, the Project Coordinator, highlighted the alarming increase in poverty experienced by all stakeholders except herders, who migrate to the area from regions with harsher climates. He emphasized the importance of dialogue in addressing long-standing conflicts between farmers and herders, noting a positive shift in behavior and discourse since the project’s inception.
Professor Kyereh underscored the necessity of implementing regulations to govern the actions of both parties, advocating for the establishment of dialogue mechanisms to resolve conflicts peacefully. He commended the project’s support in developing bye-laws to delineate the responsibilities of each stakeholder.
In a speech delivered on behalf of the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Mr. Bryan Acheampong, the urgent need to find lasting solutions to farmer-herder conflicts was emphasized. Acknowledging the crucial role both groups play in ensuring food security, he applauded the project’s efforts to address this longstanding issue.
