Port Harcourt, Rivers State – The Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) is calling for urgent, coordinated, and multi-stakeholder action to tackle the growing threat communal conflicts pose to agricultural productivity and investment in the Niger Delta.
This appeal followed a high-level roundtable convened by PIND on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, with the theme: “The Impact of Communal Conflicts on Agricultural Investments in the Niger Delta.” The event brought together key stakeholders including representatives of government institutions, the private sector, herder and farmer groups, civil society organizations, traditional rulers, development partners, and media professionals.
The roundtable was convened against the backdrop of alarming findings from PIND’s latest policy brief and Peace Map analysis, which recorded more than 800 fatalities linked to communal conflicts across the region between January 2014 and December 2024. These conflicts, driven largely by land disputes, poor governance, and socio-economic inequality, have not only led to tragic loss of life and property, but have also severely disrupted food systems, deterred agricultural investment, and eroded local livelihoods.
“There is an urgent need to confront the nexus between conflict and underdevelopment,” said Dr. David Udofia, PIND’s Peacebuilding Program Manager. “We must strengthen systems that promote peace and prosperity side by side. Agricultural investment can only thrive in a secure and stable environment.”
Key Highlights from the Roundtable Participants noted that land-related disputes are among the most common and volatile causes of violence in the region, owing to land’s economic, social, and cultural significance. Inadequate enforcement of relevant policies, such as the ban on open grazing, and ineffective dispute resolution mechanisms were cited as key contributors to the escalating tensions.
Concerns were also raised about the proliferation of arms and increasing reliance on armed escorts to move agricultural goods, both signs of deepening insecurity. Furthermore, the absence of reliable, disaggregated data was identified as a critical gap, limiting stakeholders’ ability to respond strategically to emerging risks and conflicts.
Amplifying the Case for Regional Peace Framework PIND highlighted the Niger Delta Regional Peacebuilding Strategy (NDRPS) framework, developed through extensive multi-stakeholder collaboration and hosted by the Federal Government, as a critical pathway to ensuring lasting peace and agricultural security in the Niger Delta. If fully implemented, the framework could help reduce land-related conflicts, restore community stability, and unlock greater economic potential across the region.
Key Recommendations To mitigate the effects of communal conflict and safeguard agricultural investments, the roundtable participants made several strategic recommendations, including:
• Strengthening early warning and response systems, such as PIND’s Peace Map; • Promoting peace impact investments that address both development and conflict risks; • Supporting policy reforms on land use, arms control, and open grazing; • Building the capacity of community-based dispute resolution mechanisms; • Promoting conflict-sensitive reporting through the development of a regional media charter; • Expediting the launch and implementation of the NDRPS Framework at both federal and state levels.
PIND therefore calls on the Ministry of Regional Development and state governments across the Niger Delta to take immediate steps toward launching and operationalizing this vital framework. Doing so would demonstrate commitment to long-term regional stability and create an enabling environment for sustainable agricultural investment.
PIND further emphasized the importance of engaging local communities, traditional institutions, and security agencies such as the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to proactively address agro-related conflicts and support peacebuilding efforts.