Global Peace Development (GPD), under its Promoting Agropastoralism Reconciliation and Resilience for Sustainable Livelihood and Peace (PARSULP) project, has convened a high-level policy dialogue aimed at strengthening policy and institutional frameworks for sustainable peace, community resilience, and improved local governance.
The one-day session, held at Villa Grande Hotel in Rayfield, Jos, brought together representatives from government ministries, civil society organizations, the Nigerian Bar Association, security agencies, ethnic and religious groups, the media, and other critical stakeholders.
The event featured the presentation of key findings from the PRA: Conflict Prevention and Sustainable Peace Pathway, with emphasis on community inclusion, justice, women’s participation, and sustainable livelihoods in agropastoral communities.
Executive Director of GPD, Ebruke Onajite Esike, explained that the dialogue forms part of continuous engagements under the PARSULP project, funded by Tetra Tech, ActionAid, and the FCDO.
Esike said the meeting sought to explore policy directions capable of resolving long-standing conflicts between herders and farmers, particularly in Riyom Local Government Area.
“Policies cannot be created in isolation. Communities must be part of the process,” he stated. “This dialogue allows stakeholders to identify key issues such as ethnic divisions, boundary disputes, displacement, inadequate infrastructure, and the need for reintegration pathways. These inputs will guide a policy brief for engagement with decision makers at local and state levels.”
Esike added that the PARSULP project is adopting a new and more inclusive approach that brings herders, farmers, and even their families together, unlike previous interventions that worked in isolated locations.
Speaking on behalf of the Director General of the Plateau Peace Building Agency, Mr. Kenneth Dakup welcomed the initiative and urged participants to move beyond lamentations and focus on actionable solutions.
“For two decades we have repeated the same issues without taking enough action. Community leaders must begin to ask: What have I done with the resources and authority available to me?” Dakup said.
He emphasized the need for accountability and collaboration at community, local government, and state levels, adding that outcomes from the meeting should cascade down to grassroots communities.
Representing the State Commandant of the NSCDC, ACC Caroline L. Anze-Bishop commended GPD for assembling diverse stakeholders to strengthen agropastoral reconciliation efforts.
“Peace is a rare commodity today, and all hands must be on deck,” she said. “Community security initiatives remain critical to sustainable development.”
She highlighted ongoing NSCDC interventions, including Agro-Rangers, Safe School initiatives, and female squads—all contributing to peace, mediation, and protection of critical infrastructure.
Chairman of MACBAN in Riyom LGA, Alhaji Bello Adamu, described the dialogue as timely and impactful.
“This meeting has improved our understanding and the need to build peace. We will take these lessons back to our communities,” he said.
The policy recommendations generated during the dialogue will be consolidated into a policy brief to guide local and state-level interventions aimed at promoting peaceful coexistence, strengthening resilience, and improving livelihoods for farmers and herders across conflict-affected communities.
