Maridi County Authorities Broker Peace Between Farmers and Pastoralists, Ending Four-Year Standoff
Maridi County Authorities Broker Peace Between Farmers and Pastoralists, Ending Four-Year Standoff
By Baraka John
Maridi County, South Sudan 18th Aug 2024, a protracted dispute between farmers and pastoralists in Maridi County over grazing land was resolved after local authorities organized a dialogue between the disputing communities.
The conflict has impacted the local community, prompting urgent intervention from local authorities. The conflict, fueled by competition over land resources, had caused significant disruption and economic hardship for the local farmers in Maridi, as crops were reported to have been destroyed by the cattle.
The discord between farmers and pastoralists in Maridi County dates four years ago has been resolved early this month when local authorities held a dialogue between farmers and cattle herders to seek a resolution.
Traditionally, pastoralists from Jonglei and Lakes states would migrate with their herds across vast areas, while farmers established settled agricultural plots.
Farmers have increasingly accused pastoralists of allowing their cattle to graze on and destroy crops.
Farmers report substantial losses due to cattle destroying their crops, which undermines their primary source of income and food security.
This destruction has led to reduced harvests, increased food shortages, and financial strain. For pastoralists, restricted access to traditional grazing lands has led to decreased livestock productivity and strained livelihoods.
Obede Peter Tito the head of Maridi Farmers Union, voices frustration shared by many in his community in the past years due to the loss incurred: "Our fields were destroyed every year, and we are left struggling to feed our families."
“Those herders were well armed with different types of weapons, although they could feed their animals on our farms, we could say nothing because they were well armed. Last year, the cattle were stationed at Mambe Payam, of which they caused heavy destruction on farms leaving the host community with nothing”, Peter lamented.
Peter added that, as a result, the county authorities including the paramount chief in the area conveyed a dialogue to resolve the tension, saying with the new agreement the pastoralists have evacuated the territories of Maridi County.
He reported that farmers are now happily cultivating with no cattle destroying their crops again. However, Peter expressed great fear over the presence of Ambororo nomads.
In response to the escalating tensions, Maridi County authorities have taken steps to address the conflict. Local officials-initiated dialogue sessions between the two groups, aiming to negotiate a compromise. Efforts include establishing designated grazing reserves, creating clear boundaries for agricultural and pastoral activities, and setting up a joint committee to monitor and enforce these agreements.
Maridi County Commissioner Mr. Alfred Mirri Mathias, told the Rurugene online newsletter that the tension between the herders and the farmers was resolved through a dialogue that brought in elders from the herders and elders hailing from Maridi to resolve the impasses.
“My office and the Paramount Chief of Maridi invited elders from the side of the herders including their key members working in the assembly and other key instructions. We also invited elders in Maridi. We catered for their transportation from Juba to Maridi.” Alfred said.
Commissioner Alfred said the dialogue saw the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the herders and the farming community.
“We held a dialogue and came to a mutual understanding of which the two communities signed the document. The MoU resolved that the pastoralists leave the territory of Maridi. We also talked to our people in Maridi not to be hostile to the pastoralists as they leave”, he added.
Conversely, Pastoralist leader in Maridi County, Emmanuel Dut Maker highlighted the challenges faced by his community: “Our cattle need grazing space to survive, but since we signed the MoU, the cattle were evacuated from Maridi County. What we do these days is to import few cattle between 20 and 30 only for business purposes”, Dut said.
He added, “We bring those cattle from Tonj, Rumbek, and Mvolo and camp them in Amaki one of the Payams in Maridi. And from there, we begin to supply to places where there is a need for cows.
On November 9, 2023, Maridi County the commissioner of Maridi County directed those herders and their cattle, primarily from Bor County in Jonglei State, to vacate Langua Boma in the county’s Mambe Payam within seven days.
Commissioner Alfred Mirri Mathias gave the ultimatum during a meeting in Langua Payam to resolve conflicts between local farmers and cattle keepers. He emphasized that his directive was issued in consultation with the state government to ease tensions between farmers and pastoralists.
Late last year, Mambe Payam Administrator Charles William Taku highlighted that his area is currently grappling with a problem involving three different groups of cattle keepers from the Dinka Bor, Mundari, and Ambororo.
In June last year, Western Equatoria State Governor Gen. Alfred Futuyo Karaba issued a one-week ultimatum for nomadic pastoralists to leave the state with all their cattle.
The resolution of this conflict holds promise for restoring stability in Maridi County. If a balanced agreement can be reached, it could lead to a more structured approach to land management. Such an arrangement would ideally prevent future disputes, enhance food security for farmers, and ensure sustainable grazing options for pastoralists. This would not only alleviate immediate tensions but also foster long-term peace and cooperation in the region.
