article · African Security
Ghana has initiated a national cattle ranching project to alleviate tensions between farmers and herders. An investigation into existing ranches in Northern Ghana reveals that ranching faces major feasibility challenges under complex local land tenure arrangements. Factors such as social identity, concerns over land grabbing, and competition for animal feed and water resources hinder the policy effectiveness. Herders belonging to the Fulani ethnic group face widespread stigmatisation, being perceived locally as dangerous and violent. Furthermore, rent-seeking behaviours and corruption among local chiefs and security officials, particularly the police, exacerbate these disputes. These findings indicate that settling conflicts through ranches requires policymakers to reconsider current strategies, develop a deeper understanding of the local drivers of tension, and conduct broader public consultations before expanding ranching models across sub-Saharan Africa.
Violent clashes between farmers and nomadic herders threaten rural livelihoods, food security, and regional stability across parts of Africa. Understanding why standard policy interventions such as cattle ranches struggle helps governments and peacebuilding bodies design more realistic solutions. It highlights how social prejudice, resource competition, and institutional corruption can undermine infrastructure-led conflict management.
The abstract does not indicate a commercialisation pathway, as it focuses on social and policy evaluations of national ranching interventions. However, the findings provide actionable policy intelligence for governmental agricultural ministries, land administrators, and international development agencies seeking to design viable livestock initiatives. These advisory insights are ready for immediate integration into regional policy reviews and consultative peacebuilding frameworks.
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To address the prevalence of farmer-herder conflicts, Ghana has recently adopted a national cattle ranching project to establish ranches. Through a qualitative approach, this study examines the performance of existing ranches in addressing farmer-herder conflicts and the feasibility of ranches under complex land tenure arrangements. In Northern Ghana, identity, perceptions of land grab, and dynamics of access to animal feed and water sources might make cattle ranching less feasible in addressing farmer-herder conflicts. The study finds that the identity of herders as Fulani is generally perceived as dangerous, murderous, and violent. However, these issues are complicated by further concerns of corruption and rent-seeking behavior among the chiefs and security officers, especially the police. The results suggest the need to reconsider the cattle ranching policy by understanding the nature of conflicts and widening public consultation. The findings of this study are relevant for sub-Saharan African countries currently contemplating or implementing cattle-ranching policies.
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DOI: 10.1080/19392206.2021.1955496
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