Abstract

Crop cultivation and cattle rearing is the backbone in the survival of the economy of many developing countries especially Cameroon. The increasing conflict between farmers and grazers is a course for concern.

This study examines the nature and challenges of the farmer-grazer conflict in the Tugi (Gutah) hills of the North West region of Cameroon. It employs a qualitative design and a purposive sampling to interview 33 respondents of various groups (farmers, graziers, traditional leaders, government officials, and non-agriculturalists).

The interview guide, focus group discussion, case studies and observations were instruments used for data collection. Findings of this study deduced that the main causes for farmer-grazer conflict are seen in terms of competition over lands.

More so, insecurity, hatred, inflation, poverty, food insecurity, communication, and evaluation problems are the main challenges resulting from conflicts. Thus conflicts escalate because of poor land governance guaranteeing land ownership, disrespect to convocation, and the lack of the fear of God.

The demarcation of lands, creation of night paddocks, avoidance of corruption, employment of experienced herdsmen, and the sensitization of farmers and grazers to improve productivity are lasting strategies developed to help resolved conflicts.

However, farmers are always the ultimate losers in the conflicts because their crops are usually destroyed. The study recommends that farmers should avoid encroaching on grazing lands in search of fertile soil and use chemical fertilizers to improve the output of food crops. Grazers should create night paddocks and employ experience herder in the day to prevent crop destruction.

Traditional leaders should avoid corruption, Government should demarcate farmlands from grazing lands, and non-agriculturalists should involve on small-scale agriculture. Further research should be done on agricultural intensification in the Tugi (Gutah) hills.

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background To The Study

Agriculture (crop cultivation and cattle rearing) is the backbone in the survival of the rural economies of many Sub-Saharan African countries including Cameroon Ndikintum (n.d). It is the driver of economic transformation in Africa Amungwa (2013). Also, agriculture is an important sector for sustaining growth and reducing poverty in developing countries Wilfrid and Edwige (2004).

Thus the food and agriculture sector dominates most developing countries’ economies in terms of contributing to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), employment, and income generation of a country. Agriculture growth developments are essential for the overall process of socio-economic development of developing countries.

According to Florence, (2016) agriculture in Cameroon accounts for about 70% of the labour force and 19.8% of the GDP. Livestock contributes 15% of Cameroon agriculture approximately 3.1% of GDP. Agriculture is the main economic activity practiced in Cameroon. Florence further states that grazing is mainly practiced in the grand Northern Regions, Western Regions and the Northwest Region of Cameroon and both activities require a huge usage and access to land which availability is a challenge coupled with the commercialization of land regarding customary land tenure regulation systems. But issues of poor land governance (both administrative and local leaders) further compound the pressure on land.

The farmer-grazer conflict (FGC) is one of the numerous conflicts the developing countries are facing. Despite the fact that man and government have not yielded in their efforts to reduce the conflict, it grows in a geometric proportion Fon (2016).

The farmer-grazer conflict in the NWR witnessed a different dimension with the opening of the Elba Ranch in Ndawara Fon (op.cit). The conflict was no longer a farmer-grazer conflict but also a grazer-grazer conflict. Both farmers and grazers were evicted from the lands they initially occupied without compensation. The situation eventually became unbearable and the government had to set up an inter-ministerial commission to propose ways and means in which the government could resolve the problem. The commission concluded that the causes of the disputes were traced to the problems of the creation of the Elba Ranch and the subsequent extension of its holding beyond the initial limits and the dispute involve both Mbororos and non-Mbororos Fon op.cit.:5). The conflict finally became worst with the privatization of the Tea Estate in Cameroon in the early 2000s. This happened when the Elba Ranch was transformed into the largest single Tea Estate owned by El Hadj Baba Danpullo. There was the need to relocate some of the cattle in the ranch. The first victims were farmers and grazers in Sabga. Their grazing and farming lands were invaded especially in a place called Chabal. When the youths resisted, they were arrested and tortured by Gendarmerie officers and were taken to Bafoussam where they were detained for 2 years Fon (op.cit:6)

The situation of Esu in Menchum Division is a current course of concern. About 50.000 cattle now graze in Esu as compared to the pre-colonial era occupying land without limits Moritz (2010). More so, the scarcity of land, climate change, and poor application of statutory law governing land is a problem affecting farmers and gazers Sone (2012).  The connection of farmlands with cattle routes where farmers grow crops on cattle routes exacerbates the problem. (Muhammed et al., 2014).

According to (Nformi et al., 2014) those involved in the conflicts suffer a lot of material, human and economic costs as a result of physical attacks impose during conflicts. The use of harmful instruments like cutlasses, spears, gun,s or poisoning became the most widespread means of expressing conflicts in the country Haman 2002 (Nformi et al., 2014). Class discrimination with respect to land ownership in the country is recognized not only as one of the factors responsible for land conflicts but also as a limitation resulting from it Sone (op.cit). Conflicts destroy, disrupt and threaten the sustainability of pastoral and agricultural production. Fostering extreme poverty, hunger, and food insecurity and affect mostly women and children (Muhammed et al., op.cit).

Despite the devastating consequences, conflicts still escalate. Some measures have been using to help resolve these conflicts such as the use of the traditional mechanism like the chiefs and council members of the community that have been the main agents of resolving farmer-grazer conflicts Akwi Memorial Foundation (AMF) (2010). The frontline actors used dialogue platforms, farmers-grazers committee, judicial and agro-pastoral commission to help resolve this problem between farmers but the problem still increases (Pretentsebenkwange et al., 2014). Despite the efforts made by these mechanisms to help solve these situations of conflicts, conflict still persists. Some of the results of the mechanisms lead to more problems. For instance in most cases traditional rulers were considered to be ignorant and not competent in solving disputes between farmers and grazers.

In the Momo division, there is a self-centered nature approach for survival used by farmers and grazers and their negligence of a community oneness has increasingly dropped. Grazers destroy the crops of farmers leaving them stranded and farmers on the other hand destroy cattle by physically or apply poisonous substances on their crops to poison cattle. Momo division cannot boast of a truck full of cocoyam or baskets of tomatoes because of the same reason. Therefore there is in desperate need of help for the situation to reduce or completely disappear Komando (2016).

The Tugi (Gutah) hills are one of the areas in the Northwest Region of Cameroon in which farmer-grazer conflict is frequent with about ¾ of the population involved Komando (2016). This is so because about 90 percent of the population of this area is engaged in agriculture (farming or grazing). The Tugi (Gutah) hills indigenes consider the Mbororos as migrants and strangers and therefore expected them to have no say in terms of lands and other limited resources in the community Otang (2016).

Akwi Memorial Foundation (AMF) (2010) stated that in 1970 when the government of Cameroon encourages the Fulani’s to adopt a sedimentary lifestyle and considers transhumance movements as a primitive lifestyle, the Fulani’s seize the opportunity to start practicing sedimentary lifestyle and therefore needed secured lands for grazing their animals and claiming ownership. AMF further argued that the Mbororos believe that as Cameroonians they need a share in the country’s resources. On the other hand, the subsistence Meta Tugi (Gutah) hills crop farmers claim they are the owners of the land and consider the grazers as strangers and had assurance in their responsibility for the control and ownership of lands which they don’t want to share or lose them to grazers considered as strangers AMF (ibit). However, despite the efforts made by the mechanisms in charge of conflict management to fill this gap, the problem still persists.

1.2 Problem Statement

Crop farmers and cattle grazers in the North West region of Cameroon co-existed in harmony among themselves in the colonial era as a result of limited population, abundant land, and pastures present in the area Central for Environment and Development (CED) (2016).

The region however has a long-standing history of conflicts between the crop farmers and the cattle grazers Ndikintum (n.d). Farmer-grazer conflicts in the Tugi (Gutah) hills are mostly non-violent and frequent in the Tugi (Gutah) hills from November to May every year with massive food crops destruction Otang (2016).

The increasing influx of human and cattle population has led to the upsurge of these conflicts that create a sharp demand on land for crop cultivation and cattle rearing Mbuagbaw (2016).

The problem has been aggravated by soil erosion, soil infertility caused by unsustainable farming practices such as “slash and burns” and “ankara” systems that destroy soil fertility leading to the slow growth rate of food crops and cattle pastures Ndikintum (op.cit).

The high demand for pastures and water by grazers has led to cattle encroachments into farmlands and destroy food crops (Pretentsebenkwange et al., 2014; Nformi et al., 2014).

The blocking of transhumance routes by farmers due to large-scale agriculture pressured the conflicts between farmers and grazers (Okoli et al., 2014; Odah and Chingozie 2014; Abass in Muhammed et al., 2015).

The problem has also been aggravated by the lack of demarcation of farmlands from grazing lands that forces farmers and grazers to encroach on each other site without limits (Sone 2012; Nformi et al., 2014).

The manner in which problems are being resolved by the mechanisms in charge of conflict resolution and issues of poor application of statutory laws guaranteeing land ownership stimulates the conflicts Sone (2012).

The decree No.78/263 of the 3rd of July 1978 created by the government with its goal to allocate and demarcate farmlands from grazing lands, defines conditions for mixed farming zones, ensure that farmers and grazers respect boundaries and examine and settle disputes when they occur failed as farmer grazer-conflicts continue to escalate Fon (2016).

In some instances, farmer-grazer conflicts have led to the collapse of the inter-dependence (symbiotic) relationship between the farmers and the grazers.

1.3. Research Objectives

 1.3.1 General Research Objective

The general research objective is to examine the nature and the challenges of farmer-grazers conflicts in the Tugi (Gutah) hills.

1.3.2 Specific Research Objectives

1. To examine the main causes of farmer-grazer conflicts in the (Gutah) hills;
2. To investigate the challenges faced by the actors involved in the conflict and those involved in managing the conflicts in the Tugi (Gutah) hills;
3. To examine the reasons of the persistence of farmer-grazers conflicts in the Tugi (Gutah) hills;
4. To analyze and seek sustainable strategies on conflict management in the Tugi (Gutah) hills.