Authors : Nabieu Darlington Lavalie

Volume/Issue : Volume 9 - 2024, Issue 10 - October

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/267e2znn

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/4mt2unar

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/IJISRT24OCT575

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.

Abstract : This research aimed to assess the perceptions of smallholder farmers in Mara chiefdom, Bombali District, regarding land conflicts. It focused on investigating types, causes, impacts, and strategies for mitigating these conflicts. Quantitative and qualitative study was used, with 80 household head farmers from four communities and four (4) focus group Discussions. Data was collected through primary methods, including questionnaires and focus group discussions. Results from the research revealed that the prevailing types of land conflicts are family, individual, and land use conflict. Factors responsible for these conflicts are the weak nature of national and local policies, the increase in population, and gender biases in terms of allocation of land and settling of land disputes. Conflicts impact humans, the environment, and society, and dialogue has effectively addressed these conflicts. The study suggests the government should collaborate with landowners, raise land policy awareness, engage farmers, cattle rearers, Sun Bird Bio Energy Company, formerly Addax, and establish a local control mechanism. It also recommends community consent for land custodians to avoid misuse. Future research should involve a large-scale study for more reliable findings.

Keywords : Smallholder Farmers, Land Conflict.

References :

1. Adisa, R. S. (2012). Management of Farmer-herdsmen Conflict in North-Central Nigeria: Implications for Collaboration between Agricultural Extension Service and Other
2. Baxer, L (2013) Causes of Land conflicts in Urban Sierra Leone.
3. Cheshire, P. and W. Vermeulen (2009) Land Markets and their Regulation: The Welfare Economics of Planning. In H. S. Geyer (eds.) International Handbook of Urban Policy, Vol. II: Issues in the Developed World. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar. pp. 152–193.
4. Cocorioko Newspaper (2021) accessed at http://cocorioko.net/
5. Gefu, J.O. and A. Kolawole (2002). “Conflict in Common Property Resource Use: Experiences from an Irrigation Project”. Paper Prepared for 9th Conference of the International Association for the Study of Common Property. Indiana.
6. Genevieve, T (2019) “The negative impacts of mining on women in Sierra Leone”. Accessed at https://www.devp.org/en/blog/negative-impacts-mining-women-sierra-leone on December 15 th, 2020.
7. Kallon M, (2015) Land conflicts between farmers and miners in Eastern Sierra Leone.\Kariuki, S.M., (2005). Can negotiated land reforms deliver? A case of kenjas South Africa’s and Zimbabwe’s Land reform policy debates.
8. Kironde L, (2009) Improving Land Sector Governance in Africa: The Case of Tanzania Paper prepared for the “Workshop on “Land Governance in support of the MDGs, Responding to New Challenges” Washington DC March 9-10 2009
9. Land Tenure Issues in Southern Sudan (USAID 2010): Key Findings and Recommendations for Southern Sudan Land Policy. Prepared for USAID by Tetra Tech ARD.
10. Network Movement for Justice and Development (NMJD,2013 Annual Report )
11. Shivji, I. G. (1998) Not yet Democracy: Reforming Land Tenure in Tanzania;
12. Tarhule, A and P.J. Lamb (2003). Climate Research and Seasonal Forecasting for West Africans: Perceptions, dissemination, and use. Bulletin of American Meteorological Society.
13. Tilt, B., Y. Braun, and D. He (2009) Social Impacts of Large Dam Projects: A Comparison of International Case Studies and Implications for Best Practice. Journal of Environmental Management.
14. Torre, A., R. Melot, H. Magsi, L. Bossuet, A. Cadoret, A. Caron, S. Darly, P. Jeanneaux, Wang, G., Y. Liu, Y. Li, and Y. Chen (2015) Dynamic Trends and Driving Forces of Land Use Intensification of Cultivated Land in China. Journal of Geographical Sciences.
15. Wehrmann, B (2008) The Easiest Way to Make Money is to Sell Land. Land Conflicts in the Peri-urban Areas of Accra, Ghana.
16. Wit (2013) land conflict among Rural communities. A case study of South Sudan