The Global Peace Development (GPD) has trained farmers, herders, and stakeholders in Edo State on effective strategies for preventing and resolving conflicts.
The three-day training, which started on Thursday, was organized in collaboration with the Edo State Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES) and the World Bank.
GPD Executive Director, Onajite Ebruke, emphasized that the training was designed to equip participants with skills to prevent, mitigate, and resolve disputes.
He noted that it would also provide insights into the impact of violent conflicts on citizens and livestock value chains while promoting peaceful coexistence.
Ebruke stressed the importance of empowering community peace agents to track and analyze early warning signals to prevent violence.
“Until people engage in honest dialogue, mutual reconciliation, and justice-driven conflict resolution, peace cannot be guaranteed in our communities,” he stated.
Describing the farmer-herder crisis as a competition for resources and business expansion rather than an ethnic or religious issue, Ebruke argued that true solutions lie in justice-driven reconciliation.
“The practical solution to this challenge lies in justice-driven reconciliation, as mere ceasefire calls will not address the deeper underlying issues,” he said.
He further emphasized the need for accountability, warning that failure to hold offenders responsible would normalize violations and fuel a cycle of lawlessness.
“If offenders are not held accountable, violations become normalised, undermining peace and fueling a cycle of lawlessness,” he warned.
“The best way to maintain peace is to uphold justice through fair and consistent law enforcement.”
Ebruke also urged the government to establish local peace resilience committees to analyze early warning data and intervene before conflicts escalate.
Edo L-PRES Coordinator, Betsy Ikpikhumi, also addressed participants, highlighting that the training was aimed at improving livestock productivity, strengthening resilience, and enhancing crisis response capacity in Edo State.
She noted that reducing conflicts between farmers and herders would help curb violence and mitigate its economic and social impact.
Ikpikhumi encouraged participants to actively engage with facilitators to ensure that the knowledge gained contributes to sustainable peace and development in Edo State communities.
