The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) has offered to provide technical support to Nasarawa, Benue, and Plateau states ravaged by the farmers/ Herders conflict in the North central region of the country.


Principal programme officer of CDD, Mr. Yusuf Shamsudeen at a two-day strategic stakeholders’ meeting in Lafia, said that the organization will provide all technical assistance needed to ensure peace, security of the affected states as well as the warring parties in the region.


According to Shamsudeen, CDD as a development partner decided to bring major stakeholders within the conflict states of Benue, Nasarawa, and Plateau to brainstorm on how to end scourage between the farmers/herders that have left the states with pains and agony.



“The objective of this meeting is to support the implementation of the national livestock transformation plan of the federal government and the peacebuilding effort of the affected states.


On his part, technical adviser, United States Institute for Peace (USIP) Dr. Chris Kwaja commended the Nasarawa state government for the political will and plans to constitute a peace committee and peacebuilding agency in the state.


“Nasarawa state is very strategic because it is a centre linking states in the country, so this meeting would be a linking point between states, farmers and herders”.


In his remarks, Dr. Abdullahi Musa, the Nasarawa state coordinator of National Livestock Transformation Plan, NLTP commended the efforts of the CDD and appealed to the organization not to only end the meeting in paperwork,  but move into the field of implementation.


Abdullahi identified the major factor responsible for Herders/farmers conflict to include population explosion,  global warming necessitating  migration, and conflict over the limited land spaces


Dr. Abdullahi however explained that through the NLTP programme, farmers and herders would be fully aware of their operational boundaries as far as grazing reserve is a concern in the state.