The Gombe State Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) Project has reiterated its commitment to peacebuilding and conflict prevention, particularly within the livestock sector, as a key component of sustainable development in the state.

 

The State Project Coordinator, Professor Usman Bello Abubakar, made this known while receiving a delegation from Youth O’Clock Nigeria during a courtesy visit to his office, emphasizing that mitigating conflicts, especially those between farmers and herders, is central to the objectives of L-PRES.

“At the inception of the project in late 2023, the state government through L-PRES identified recurring farmer-herder conflicts as a major obstacle to livestock productivity,” Prof. Abubakar noted. “In response, we established Farmer-Herder Conflict Prevention Committees at both the state and local government levels. This has significantly curbed the frequency and severity of such conflicts.”

 

Prof. Abubakar also highlighted other root causes of conflicts, including encroachment on grazing reserves and cattle routes, as well as water scarcity. He explained that L-PRES has initiated the re-mapping and re-demarcation of eight gazetted grazing reserves and 37 cattle routes across the state, a milestone that has drawn commendations from development partners including the World Bank.

 

“In addition, we have addressed water scarcity by constructing over 100 solar-powered boreholes and desilting key earth dams along grazing corridors,” he added. “This has helped pastoralists remain in Gombe State, reducing forced migrations and minimizing potential clashes along migratory paths.”

 

The coordinator further explained that L-PRES has invested in several capacity-building workshops aimed at promoting dialogue, mutual understanding, and sustainable livestock practices among farmers and pastoralists. A key example is the pasture business development workshop, which trained farmers on modern fodder production techniques to enhance profitability and reduce dependency on shared grazing areas.

 

Responding to an appeal from Youth O’Clock Nigeria, Prof. Abubakar welcomed their interest in partnership, affirming L-PRES’s readiness to collaborate on peace-focused programmes.

 

He directed the Environmental and Social Safeguard Officers to work with the organization to develop a framework for joint interventions, underscoring that the group’s mission aligns with Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s commitment to inclusive development and peaceful coexistence.

 

Speaking earlier, the Gombe State Coordinator of Youth O’Clock Nigeria, Comrade Abdul’aziz Sani Labaran, described the organisation as a registered NGO that advocates for religious tolerance, environmental stewardship, and peacebuilding.

 

He commended L-PRES for its achievements in livestock development and conflict mitigation, noting that the project’s impact has helped reduce the frequency of farmer-herder clashes in the state.

 

Labaran also disclosed the organisation’s plan to convene 11 town hall meetings across Gombe State, bringing together key stakeholders to support conflict resolution efforts and amplify the government’s peacebuilding agenda.

 

He appealed for L-PRES’s support, citing the project’s aligned objectives and technical expertise in community engagement and resilience-building.