Some stakeholders at a workshop have emphasised the need for effective communication and feedback mechanisms to address the persistent conflict between farmers and herders.
The stakeholders made their submission during the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES) engagement plan validation workshop in Sokoto State on Thursday.
The workshop was organised by the Sokoto state government under the World Bank-assisted L-PRES project in collaboration with Global Peace Development.
It brought together stakeholders from the livestock and agriculture sectors, as well as representatives of vulnerable groups.
Speaking, the Executive Director of Global Peace Development, Mr Ebruke Esike, said the meeting was aimed at reviewing stakeholders’ data earlier collected in the state to improve the project’s operational procedures and implementation planning.
Esike explained that the initiative sought to engage stakeholders in the livestock sector to identify appropriate measures for storage, processing and marketing logistics.
According to him, the project is also working toward developing grievance redress mechanisms and procedures for effective stakeholder engagement throughout the project lifecycle.
“This includes monitoring, feedback systems and performance indicators to ensure effective implementation,” he said.
Esike stated that farmers–herders clashes remained a major challenge to the country’s livestock development and stressed the need for policies on land grazing to be reviewed in order to address future conflicts.
He urged communities to remain law-abiding, respect the rule of law and coexist peacefully.
He also recommended inclusivity among all groups, particularly marginalised communities, as well as transparency, accountability and cultural sensitivity in implementing development programmes.
“We should encourage two-way communication and feedback, maintain clear grievance procedures and provide accessible information to stakeholders,” Esike added.
In his remarks, the Sokoto state Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Dr Muhammad Zayyana, emphasised the importance of proper data monitoring and evaluation to enhance global best practices in livestock production.
Zayyana reiterated the commitment of the administration of Gov. Ahmed Aliyu to achieving its nine-point Smart Agenda, noting that agriculture remains one of the government’s top priorities.
He commended the World Bank and Global Peace Development for their sustained support toward the development of agriculture in the state.
Earlier, the State Project Coordinator of L-PRES, Mr Sirajo Abubakar, said the engagement was part of the project’s mandate to strengthen implementation outcomes across the country.
Abubakar, represented by the State Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of L-PRES, Malam Khalid Abdullahi, appreciated stakeholders for their contributions.
He said their Inputs would help identify additional intervention areas and appropriate measures required to achieve the project’s objectives.
(NAN)
