By Moma Sandrine in Bamenda
The persistent farmer grazers conflicts in some African countries provoked the need to study and analyze best practices/mechanisms that have contributed in securing rangelands so as to help different users to better coexist. To this effect, different stakeholders from participating communities, development practitioners, land rights campaigners and government officials in Cameroon and other countries decided organized an exchange visit to foster learning in the field around successful experiences.
Why the North West Region
The North West Region is one part of Cameroon that hosts some of the minorities, reason why it was chosen as the most suitable area for the tour to be conducted.
The Technical coordinator for Rangeland Initiative-Africa, Ken Otieno said; “Alliance farming between crop producers and farmers in the region is another reason why the study is conducted here”
Benefits to Cameroon
According to the vice president of the Mbororo Social and Cultural Development Association (MBOSCUDA), Musa Usman Ndamba, the knowledge gathered from the tour will improve on livestock production in the country since they are now aware of the mechanism to use in order to secure rangelands.
“The study tour will enable Cameroonians have a framework that can change the dynamics of effects of good management of rangelands” added Fom Nsoh the coordinator for Community Initiative for Sustainable Development (COMINSUD).
Impact on Nigeria
According to Ibrahim Hassan, a Nigerian representative of the Confederation of Traditional Herders in Africa, the Alliance farming practiced in Cameroon is a good initiative that can go a long way to help Nigeria solve the conflict between pastoralist and farmers if adopted. He added that the commitment of the pastoralist association (MBOSCUDA) that ensures that farmers and pastoralist live together is an initiative that is worth emulating by Nigerian communities.
A lesson for Tanzania
Tanzania has been working towards rangeland management but what was unknown to them is the Alliance farming practiced in Cameroon. In this regard, the program coordinator for HELP foundation representing Tanzania, Gituna Gafuten said he will ensure that the Alliance farming is implemented in his country. “The efforts made by Cameroonians in forming association in grassroots, creating partnerships with international NGO’s is also something we are going to take back to our country” Gituna added.
The delegation was made up of eleven persons comprised of five representatives from Tanzania, Nigeria and Kenya and six representatives from Cameroon. During the four days tour in the region, the delegation visited the Banja and Mamada hills in Bamenda, COMAID, a local based NGO, MBOSCUDA, amongst other sites across the region.