By Aminata S Kuyateh
In a landmark initiative aimed at addressing land-related conflicts exacerbated by climate change, the United Nations Peace-Building Fund (UNPBF) on Thursday launched a $3 million project to tackle land-related conflicts in the Gambia.
This initiative, titled “empowering communities in the Gambia to prevent, mitigate and resolve land-related conflicts exacerbated by climate change”, is a collaborative effort jointly implemented by the FAO, WFP, and IOM.
This project was officially launched at the SDKJ-ICC attended by government officials, representatives from implementing agencies, civil society organisations and community leaders. The seeks to tackle the growing challenges posed by climate change, which has increasingly contributed to land disputes in various parts of the country.
The project aims to raise public awareness of the project’s objectives and solicit insights into climate change-related conflicts affecting land and natural resources in the country. The event also established a robust project steering committee to provide strategic guidance and oversight of the project’s implementation.
In his speech, UN resident coordinator Karl Frederick Paul, emphasized the importance of community involvement. “By empowering communities, we’re just addressing conflicts, but we’re building resilience, fostering sustainable livelihoods and paving the way for lasting peace”, Mr Frederick disclosed.
FAO representative, Moshibudi Rampedi underscored the importance of the shared commitment to improving the lives of the Gambians and building a sustainable future for generations to come.
“We are aware that the Gambia, like many other developing nations facing daunting impacts from climate change ranging from rising temperatures, erratic weather patterns and rising sea levels are not just environmental concerns but have profound socio-economic implications, particularly on agriculture and land use.
These changes have led to saline intrusion on agricultural lands, rendering them unproductive and causing disputes over diminishing fertile areas”, Madam Rampedi stressed.
PS at the Ministry of lands, Saffie Sankareh, highlighted the critical importance of this project, noting that land is a vital resource for the people and conflicts over land can have devastating effects on communities. “This project is timely and essential, as it addresses both the root causes and consequences of these conflicts”, said PS Sankareh.
The project aims to empower 10 local communities in LRR, NBR and CRR by providing them with the tools and knowledge needed to prevent and resolve such conflicts in the implementation period of 36 month from July 2024-June 2027.
Through a combination of capacity-building activities, policy advocacy, and community engagement, the initiative will work towards creating a more peaceful and resilient environment, said the organisers.
