Farmers-Nomads conflict: effective local ways of conflicts resolutions over land use rights, in Greater Kordofan State, Sudan

Inhuman history, conflict was deep-rooted in societies at various parts of the globe. In several studies, the conflict has been described as a complex and complicated phenomenon that needs to be understood at different levels (Jerke, 2008). According to Arezki, et al(2015). Conflicts defined as natural phenomenon which considered the competition between people or groups with different interests, thoughts, beliefs, values, and goals.

Sudan is the largest third country in Africa with an area of approximately1,861,484 sq.km (Nimir & Elzein, 2015). Sudan has longest civil war in Africa since independence in 1956. It was exposed to severe civil war indifferent parts, especially at south Sudan, Darfur, South Kordofan, and the Blue Niles States which led to the referendum of South Sudan in July 2011. Conflict over natural resources is a common phenomenon in Africa and particularly in Sudan due to different ethnic groups and religions (Reuveny, et al, 2011). Agriculture is considered a backbone of Sudan’seconomy. More than 80% of the population in Sudan living in rural areas(Briceño-Garmendia, et al, 2009). Therefore, almost all the population is engaged in agriculture and grazing as the main source of income. Greater Kordofan is one of the most producing areas of different agricultural crops and livestock (FAO, 2019). While during the past few decades, Greater Kordofan has witnessed dramatic changes in natural resources such as vegetation cover, agriculture, and rangeland. This change is due toa prolonged and repeated period of droughts, desert encroachment and on-going war in South Kordofan (Munzoul, 2006). All these factors together have created a suitable environment for conflict between the farmers and nomads overland use rights in Greater Kordofan.

However, this conflict has threatened the lives of all people who settled the area. Regardless of the on-going conflict between farmers and nomads still the society has the potentiality of coexistence through their traditional approaches of reconciliations. The traditional leaders of these communities have an undeniable role in solving such type of conflict. Moreover, local governments also play an indispensable role in this conflict between farmers and nomads by delineating nomad'sroutes. In this paper, an attempt has been made to investigate the local or traditional approaches of conflict resolutions and reconciliations between farmers and nomads in Greater Kordofan.