Contextualizing conflict, mediating livelihoods: a place-based approach to herder-local conflicts in northeastern Ghana
Date
2012
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Abstract
The migration of pastoralists in West Africa in search of resources has gone on for centuries, but the establishment of bases in southern West Africa begun in the 1970s and has often been met with various levels of local resistance. In Ghana, herders mostly live in the grasslands and coastal savannas. Relations with locals have been mixed, but typically tense. This study adopts a place approach to explore local-herder notions of space and place, the herder influx, livelihoods, territoriality, resource seeking and conflict resolution. Utilising the Sustainable Livelihoods framework (Ashley & Carney, 2001) and Alexander's (2008) Mediation Metamodel, the study explores how to diffuse conflict and improve livelihoods. Herder-local notions of spatial concepts are characterised by disconnect which explains the herder influx and local chagrin over the matter. Herders utilise five types of alliances to move into an area including Alhaji and Yusuf These alliances influence herders' territorialit regarding power and resource access. It appears that the herders' impact on resource access and livelihoods is exaggerated, but crop damage from herder cattle is a significant threat. The causes of conflict have been grouped into core and peripheral, where the core produce conflict and magnify peripheral issues. However, the link between core and peripheral issues is contingent on leadership. With increasing herder settlement, it is critical to manage the situation in a manner that redistributes power and protects stakeholders' livelihoods. The study also recommends the Herder-Local lvf_ediatio11 and Resources and Livelihoods frameworks respectively, to manage herder-local relations and further livelihoods.
Description
Bibliography: p. 276-285
Some pages are in colour.
Includes copy of ethics approval. Original copy with original Partial Copyright Licence.
Some pages are in colour.
Includes copy of ethics approval. Original copy with original Partial Copyright Licence.
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Citation
Yembilah, R. D. (2012). Contextualizing conflict, mediating livelihoods: a place-based approach to herder-local conflicts in northeastern Ghana (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/4718