Stakeholders at a workshop have emphasized the need for effective communication and feedback mechanisms to address persistent conflicts between farmers and herders.
The call was made during the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES) engagement plan validation workshop in Sokoto State on Thursday.
The workshop, organized by the Sokoto State Government under the World Bank-assisted L-PRES project in collaboration with Global Peace Development, brought together representatives from the livestock and agriculture sectors as well as vulnerable groups.
Executive Director of Global Peace Development, Mr Ebruke Esike, said the meeting aimed to review previously collected stakeholder data to refine the project’s operational procedures and implementation planning.
Esike explained that the initiative seeks to engage livestock sector stakeholders in identifying appropriate measures for storage, processing, and marketing logistics. He added that the project is also developing grievance redress mechanisms and procedures for effective stakeholder engagement throughout its lifecycle.
“This includes monitoring, feedback systems, and performance indicators to ensure effective implementation,” he said.
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Esike noted that farmers-herders clashes remain a major obstacle to Nigeria’s livestock development. He called for a review of land grazing policies to prevent future conflicts and urged communities to remain law-abiding, respect the rule of law, and coexist peacefully.
He recommended inclusive—especially for marginalized groups—along with transparency, accountability, and cultural sensitivity in development programmes.
“We should encourage two-way communication and feedback, maintain clear grievance procedures, and provide accessible information to stakeholders,” Esike added.
Sokoto State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Dr Muhammad Zayyana, stressed the importance of robust data monitoring and evaluation to align livestock production with global best practices.
He reiterated the commitment of Governor Ahmed Aliyu’s administration to its nine-point Smart Agenda, with agriculture as a top priority, and commended the World Bank and Global Peace Development for their continued support in advancing the state’s agricultural sector.
Earlier, State Project Coordinator of L-PRES, Mr Sirajo Abubakar (represented by Monitoring and Evaluation Officer Khalid Abdullahi), described the engagement as part of the project’s mandate to strengthen implementation outcomes nationwide.
Abubakar thanked stakeholders for their contributions, noting that their input would help identify additional intervention areas and appropriate measures to achieve the project’s objectives.
