Giving dams: Fostering peace in Côte d’Ivoire

As grazing land and water sources dry up, Ouattara and other herders have had to move their livestock further from villages, often directly through agricultural fields.

Damaged crops lead to disputes with farmers, a common dry season phenomenon in much of northern Ivory Coast, where seasonal grazing shifts and agricultural expansion increasingly compete for the same land.

“When resources become scarce, everyone tries to protect their livelihoods,” said Ouattara, who has led a local herders’ association since 2021, representing herders in disputes and community talks.

Change the tone

The rehabilitated agropastoral dam, completed this August, changes that calculation. The dam now holds more water and releases it more reliably during dry months, both for livestock and irrigation.

For Ouattara, this change can be seen in fewer confrontations. “Today we sit together and discuss,” he said. “There are fewer conflicts.”

For Ms. Traoré, it shows in his fields. A steady water supply has allowed him to expand his vegetable patch – work he says now supports his children’s schooling. The math is easy.

“If we can work well in our fields,” he said, “we can feed our children and send them to school. Previously, lack of water made life difficult.”

‘Dam brings peace’

In regions where many pastoralists move seasonally with their livestock, access to water plays an important role in supporting livelihoods and fostering social cohesion between pastoral and agricultural communities.

The dam has helped create conditions for peaceful coexistence between herders and farmers in Torla, managed locally by the community and supported by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), UN Peacebuilding Fund and partners.

The goal is simple: Prevent conflicts related to competition for natural resources and increase community resilience.

The results are already visible in Torla, where a new chapter of community dialogue and shared resource management has begun.

For residents, this project is more than just a farm or farm, and is an opportunity to build a more resilient future.

“This dam brings peace to this village,” Ouattara said. “Today, we can access water here and this reduces many of the challenges we faced previously.”

Building a better future

For Ms Traoré, reliable access to water means greater stability for her vegetable garden and her family. This also means new opportunities for women in the community to market garden, which is an important source of household income in the area.

“Now, we have the possibility to work harder and ensure a better future for our children,” he said.

Like many communities in northern Ivory Coast, Torla has witnessed changing environmental conditions in recent years.

According to Adam Ouattara, increasing pressure on land has affected traditional grazing patterns: during the rainy season, agricultural production increases, leaving less space for livestock.

‘Less conflict’

“When farmers plant crops, most of the land is occupied, and our animals have to move further, sometimes towards the border, in search of pasture,” he explains.

These challenges highlight the importance of investments that support agricultural and pastoral activities while encouraging peaceful coexistence. As president of the herders’ association, Mr Outtara has witnessed significant progress through improved dialogue.

“Today we sit together and discuss,” he said. “We approach each other to talk and understand each other. There is less conflict.”