Jos, Plateau State — November 19, 2025.
Global Peace Development (GPD), with funding support from SPRiNG, Tetra Tech, and ActionAid, on Wednesday launched the Promoting Agropastoralism Reconciliation and Resilience for Sustainable Livelihood and Peace (PARSULP) project in Jos, aimed at strengthening cooperation between farmers and herders across four Nigerian states.
The launch, held at the Villa Grand Bouquet Hall, brought together government representatives, traditional rulers, community leaders, peace practitioners, security stakeholders, and agro-pastoral actors from Plateau, Kaduna, Katsina and Benue.
“This project comes at a critical moment” — GPD Project Manager
Welcoming participants, GPD Project Manager Danjuma Mohammed described PARSULP as a timely intervention in addressing long-standing tensions over land, water, climate pressures, mistrust, and weak social cohesion.
“Plateau State has been a hotbed of conflict for over 25 years. When two resource groups are in conflict, slow economic opportunities follow,” he said.
“Our goal is to help communities move from tension to cooperation through assessments, training, dialogues, and community-led action plans.”
He urged stakeholders to commit to the shared journey toward “a peaceful Plateau” and commended early supporters of the project, including the Transition Committee Chairman of Riyom.
GPD Executive Director Unveils Community Peace Plans
Delivering the keynote address, GPD Executive Director Ebruke O. Esike said the farmer–herder conflict has displaced thousands nationwide, weakened social cohesion and, in some cases, accounted for “more casualties than the combined crises in Israel and Ukraine.”
He emphasized that reconciliation must go beyond ceasefires:
“Behind the figures are communities torn apart by loss, trauma, and deprivation. We must stop this through constructive engagement and deepening reconciliation.”
Esike noted that GPD has completed needs assessments in 45 wards and developed Community Peace Arrangement Plans to guide local intervention. The project, he said, will also strengthen agroforestry, promote shared economic opportunities, and build trust through cooperative models involving farmers, herders, and women’s groups.
Government Officials Reaffirm Support
Representing the Plateau State Commissioner for Agriculture, Markus Pam described agriculture as an interdependent system where farmers and livestock producers cannot function in isolation.
He stressed the need to “harness the advantages of both crop and livestock production” and address past gaps that fueled misunderstanding.
The representative of the Plateau State Commissioner for Livestock, Abubakar Ladinu (Ardo of Bachit), condemned the stereotype linking Fulani communities to violence:
“Fulanis are not the perpetrators; criminals are. We are all victims. Without peace, there will be no development. We stand firmly behind this project.”
Peace Institutions Applaud the Initiative
President of the Plateau Peace Practitioners Network (PPPN), Bali Nanman, described reconciliation as “an intentional process,” assuring GPD of full support from network members.
A goodwill message from the Plateau Peace Building Agency (PPBA), delivered by Kenneth, praised PARSULP for aligning with the state’s Humanitarian–Development–Peace (HDP) nexus.
He encouraged GPD to collaborate with Plateau-based institutions like the Federal College of Forestry, NVRI, and the Federal College of Animal Health to deepen impact.
Local Leaders Call for Unity and Honesty
The Ward Councillor of Riyom, Hon. Wycliffe Wanson, welcomed the project as “long-awaited,” noting that communities have suffered displacement and stagnation due to recurring conflicts.
Village Head of Gulom Kwi, Joshua Dong Kuron, decried the scale of killings and displacement in affected communities and urged sincerity in addressing root causes.
District Head of Riyom, HRH Samuel Jok, appealed for communal ownership of peace efforts:
“Security agencies cannot restore peace for us. It is the people here who will bring peace back to our communities. Without peace, nothing can thrive.”
He praised GPD for selecting Riyom as one of the key implementation areas, assuring continuous support from traditional institutions.
A Shared Commitment to Sustainable Peace
The PARSULP launch closed with renewed pledges from community leaders, government officials, peace actors, and agro-pastoral groups to work collaboratively toward rebuilding trust, improving livelihoods, and restoring long-lost peace across conflict-affected areas.
Global Peace Development will implement the project across Plateau, Benue, Kaduna, and Katsina states, with activities expected to roll out immediately.
