Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning

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Land Use Dynamics and Agro-pastoral Conflicts in Menchum Division, Cameroon

Received: 08 September 2016    Accepted: 22 September 2016    Published: 11 October 2016
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Abstract

This study sets out to investigate land use dynamics and agro-pastoral conflicts in Menchum Division, North West Region of Cameroon. The major land uses are: agriculture, settlements and grazing. The dynamism of these variables over time has led to the prevalence of agro-pastoral conflicts in Menchum Division. These conflicts are the farmer-grazier conflicts, grazier-grazier conflicts and the farmer-farmer conflicts. This paper has examined the different land uses over time in the context of these conflicts, has discussed the causes of the conflicts and the impacts of these conflicts on the people of Menchum. It has also proposed conflict management options in Menchum Division. The study employed the use of primary and secondary data sources to come out with the results. The major primary data sources included field observation, interviews and questionnaires. A total of 178 questionnaires were distributed using the stratified random sampling technique and the data obtained was supplemented by secondary sources from published and unpublished materials. The data were presented in tables, charts and graphs and subjected to interpretation. The findings revealed that the farmer-grazier conflicts have precarious effects on the indigenous population and that many indigenes are not satisfied with the way conflicts are resolved in Menchum. They attribute it to the appointment of Divisional Officers (DOs) and Senior Divisional Officers (SDOs) and the continuous money minded royal linages. It was also found out that conflict prevention strategies are used but remain inadequate because of animal mobility, population pressure and the deterioration of the environment. The study recommended, among other things, the need for agro-pastoral education in managing the commons, government subsidies to farmers and graziers and the creation of many transhumance zones.

DOI 10.11648/j.larp.20160101.11
Published in Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning (Volume 1, Issue 1, December 2016)
Page(s) 1-12
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This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

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Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

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Keywords

Land Use Dynamics, Agro-pastoralism, Farmer-Grazier Conflicts

References
[1] Balgah, S. N (2005) Land Use and Land Cover Dynamics in Buea and Tiko Sub Divisions of Cameroon; Ph. D Thesis, Department of Geography, University of Buea, Cameroon.
[2] Lambi, C. M, Balgah .S. N (2001): ―The impact of Human Activity on Land Degradation in Some Highland regions of Cameroon: Implications for Development‖ In Lambi, C. M ed. (2001): Environmental Issues: Problems and Prospects. Unique Printers, Bamenda.
[3] Balgah, S. N. (2007): Population Growth and Land Use Dynamics in the Buea Urban Area, Loyola Journal of Social Science, Jan-July 2009, vol. xxi, No I.
[4] Imobighe, T. A. (2008) conflict and instability in the Niger Delta; the case of Spectrum Books limited, Ibadan, Nigeria.
[5] Mwangi, (2005). Introduction to Conflict resolution through communication. In Conflict resolution through communication, ed. F. E. Jandt. New York: Harper & Row.
[6] Kimengsi J. N. (2011) Developing a Tri-Phase Model for Land conflict Resolution in some conflict Ridden Parts of the North West Region of Cameroon. Paper Presented at the 17th International Interdisciplinary Conference on the Environment (Session 18), 29th June to 3rd July, 2011, Kona, Hawaii, USA.
[7] Lambi, C. M., Ndenecho, E. N. and Yenshu, E. V (2008): Environment and Intercommunity Conflict in the North West Province of Cameroon. Journal of Applied Social Sciences, vol. 7, No. 1.
[8] Agrawal, A., and C. Gibson. (1997). Community, resources and development beyond enchantment and disenchantment. Mimeo.
[9] Ngwa, C. A., Ngalim A. N. and Kum V. (2007): Farmer-Grazier Crises and Conflict Resolution in Menchum Division of the North West Province of Cameroon. Journal of Applied Social Sciences, Vol. 6 No. 1&2, 2007 Unique Printers, Bamenda.
[10] Ngwoh, V. K. (2006): Farmer-Grazier Conflicts in Menchum Division, 1943-2005: A Study of Contested Hegemony over Land, M. A. Thesis, University of Buea.
[11] Folger, J. P., M. S. Poole, and R. K. Stutman (1993). Working through conflict: Strategies for relationships, groups, and organizations. New York: Harper Collins.
[12] Zaur, I (2006): Agriculture and Conflict: A Conceptual Framework For Development. Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy Thesis 25 April 2006.Fletcher School, Tufts University. http://repository01.lib.tufts.edu:8080/fedora/get/tufts:ua015.012.do.00148/bdef:tuftspdf/getpdf Homer-Dixon, T. (1999): Environment, Scarcity and Violence. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1999.
[13] Ross, M. H. (1993). The management of conflict: Interpretations and interests in Comparative perspective. New Haven, Conn., U. S.A.: Yale University Press.
[14] Nikola Rass (2010) Policies and Strategies to Address the Vulnerability of Pastoralists in Sub-Saharan Africa New York: Harper & Row.
[15] Ostrom E, (1995). Constituting social capital and collective action. In Local Commons and global interdependence: Heterogeneity and cooperation in two domains, eds. R. O. Keohane and E. Ostrom. London: Sage Ltd.
[16] Boulding, K. E. (1966). Conflict management as a learning process. In Conflict in Society, ed. A. Reuck and J. Knight. London: J. A. Churchill.
[17] Hinde, R. A. and J. Groebel. (1991). Introduction. In Cooperation and prosocial behaviour, eds. R. A. Hinde and J. Groebel. Cambridge, U. K.: Cambridge University Press.
Author Information
  • Department of Geography, Faculty of Social and Management Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon

  • Department of Geography, Faculty of Social and Management Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon

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    Balgah Sounders Nguh, Amos Fang Zeh. (2016). Land Use Dynamics and Agro-pastoral Conflicts in Menchum Division, Cameroon. Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning, 1(1), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.larp.20160101.11

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    Balgah Sounders Nguh; Amos Fang Zeh. Land Use Dynamics and Agro-pastoral Conflicts in Menchum Division, Cameroon. Landsc. Archit. Reg. Plan. 2016, 1(1), 1-12. doi: 10.11648/j.larp.20160101.11

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    AMA Style

    Balgah Sounders Nguh, Amos Fang Zeh. Land Use Dynamics and Agro-pastoral Conflicts in Menchum Division, Cameroon. Landsc Archit Reg Plan. 2016;1(1):1-12. doi: 10.11648/j.larp.20160101.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.larp.20160101.11,
      author = {Balgah Sounders Nguh and Amos Fang Zeh},
      title = {Land Use Dynamics and Agro-pastoral Conflicts in Menchum Division, Cameroon},
      journal = {Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning},
      volume = {1},
      number = {1},
      pages = {1-12},
      doi = {10.11648/j.larp.20160101.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.larp.20160101.11},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.larp.20160101.11},
      abstract = {This study sets out to investigate land use dynamics and agro-pastoral conflicts in Menchum Division, North West Region of Cameroon. The major land uses are: agriculture, settlements and grazing. The dynamism of these variables over time has led to the prevalence of agro-pastoral conflicts in Menchum Division. These conflicts are the farmer-grazier conflicts, grazier-grazier conflicts and the farmer-farmer conflicts. This paper has examined the different land uses over time in the context of these conflicts, has discussed the causes of the conflicts and the impacts of these conflicts on the people of Menchum. It has also proposed conflict management options in Menchum Division. The study employed the use of primary and secondary data sources to come out with the results. The major primary data sources included field observation, interviews and questionnaires. A total of 178 questionnaires were distributed using the stratified random sampling technique and the data obtained was supplemented by secondary sources from published and unpublished materials. The data were presented in tables, charts and graphs and subjected to interpretation. The findings revealed that the farmer-grazier conflicts have precarious effects on the indigenous population and that many indigenes are not satisfied with the way conflicts are resolved in Menchum. They attribute it to the appointment of Divisional Officers (DOs) and Senior Divisional Officers (SDOs) and the continuous money minded royal linages. It was also found out that conflict prevention strategies are used but remain inadequate because of animal mobility, population pressure and the deterioration of the environment. The study recommended, among other things, the need for agro-pastoral education in managing the commons, government subsidies to farmers and graziers and the creation of many transhumance zones.},
     year = {2016}
    }
    

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    AU  - Balgah Sounders Nguh
    AU  - Amos Fang Zeh
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    AB  - This study sets out to investigate land use dynamics and agro-pastoral conflicts in Menchum Division, North West Region of Cameroon. The major land uses are: agriculture, settlements and grazing. The dynamism of these variables over time has led to the prevalence of agro-pastoral conflicts in Menchum Division. These conflicts are the farmer-grazier conflicts, grazier-grazier conflicts and the farmer-farmer conflicts. This paper has examined the different land uses over time in the context of these conflicts, has discussed the causes of the conflicts and the impacts of these conflicts on the people of Menchum. It has also proposed conflict management options in Menchum Division. The study employed the use of primary and secondary data sources to come out with the results. The major primary data sources included field observation, interviews and questionnaires. A total of 178 questionnaires were distributed using the stratified random sampling technique and the data obtained was supplemented by secondary sources from published and unpublished materials. The data were presented in tables, charts and graphs and subjected to interpretation. The findings revealed that the farmer-grazier conflicts have precarious effects on the indigenous population and that many indigenes are not satisfied with the way conflicts are resolved in Menchum. They attribute it to the appointment of Divisional Officers (DOs) and Senior Divisional Officers (SDOs) and the continuous money minded royal linages. It was also found out that conflict prevention strategies are used but remain inadequate because of animal mobility, population pressure and the deterioration of the environment. The study recommended, among other things, the need for agro-pastoral education in managing the commons, government subsidies to farmers and graziers and the creation of many transhumance zones.
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