Peaceful Land Dispute Resolution:

CRR and SPRING team with members of the five groups discussing the causes of the conflict among the farmer groups during the mediation in Pabbo

SPRING & CRR Facilitate Successful ADR to Farmers Groups in Pabbo

In order to enhance economic stability and strengthen the recovery process, SPRING employs a unique strategic approach that integrates economic security, peace and reconciliation and access to justice activities. Recently in Pabbo sub-county in Amuru District, the critical need for this approach was demonstrated when five farmer groups were disputing the location for the proposed agricultural storage facility that is to be constructed as part of a one-year SPRING project to support commercial farming in Amuru.

The original site selection was carried out by a small group of representatives comprising of each of the five farmer groups and local [government] leaders. The dispute arose when one of the five farmer groups protested that the warehouse should be constructed at the parish trading center, while the other four groups wanted it at a more central location. The disagreement led to the group threatening to pull out of the project.

Kisa Ber Support for War Victims Organization (KSWVO), SPRING’s economic security implementing partner in Amuru, referred the dispute to SPRING and the Center for Rehabilitation and Reparation (CRR), SPRING’s land tenure security partner. Upon receipt of the complaint, CRR sent a letter to the groups in Pabbo offering to convene a meeting and mediate among the groups to help resolve the conflict and restore unity among the groups. The groups agreed to meet with CRR. Upon their arrival to Pabbo, CRR was pleasantly surprised to discover that the groups had settled the dispute amicably amongst themselves.

The immediate conflict was resolved without incident, however, CRR and the SPRING team stayed on at the invitation of the farmer groups to discuss the causes of the conflict to avoid its reoccurrence and ways forward on how the groups can best work together as a team. One of their agreed ways forward was to improve communication among all the five groups and involve all group representatives and local leadership in all decision making concerning the groups. They have agreed on the location where the warehouse will be constructed. The farmer groups are now reunited and are now digging up sand and quarrying rocks for the construction of their store, which will help them in bulking and marketing their produce to obtain higher prices for their crops.

Although it is a rare case for a conflict to be resolved before the mediation actually begins, this exercise demonstrates that even the smallest effort, a letter suggesting a non-violent dispute resolution meeting in this case, can propel conflicting parties together and inspire them to find amicable solutions to conflict. That CRR and SPRING stayed with the groups for further discussion was also critically important for ensuring that all issues responsible for the conflict were addressed and that information was offered to assist the farmer groups with the reconciliation and non-violent dispute resolution tools they will need in anticipation of future disputes.