On 28 August 2019, UNAMID Joint Special Representative (JSR), Jeremiah Mamabolo and the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Country Representative in Sudan, Mr. Babagana Ahmadu, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the implementation of a project aimed at strengthening local capacities to address inter-communal violence and find sustainable solutions to its root causes in Darfur, Sudan. The project is funded under the UN-China Peace and Security Sub-Fund of the UN Peace and Development Trust Fund (UNPDF).  The ceremony was held at UNAMID’s Liaison Office in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum.

Through this project, UNAMID, FAO and Government of Sudan Ministries of Agriculture and Animal Resources and Health, local authorities and native administrations, NGOs in West and South Darfur will demarcate migratory routes, animal gathering sites, excavate haffirs (water catchment reservoirs), rehabilitate handpumps, construct veterinary clinics, health centres, police posts and a basic school along the corridors of migratory routes in hotspot areas.

In South Darfur, through extensive engagement by state authorities and native administrations with UNAMID and FAO, the demarcation of 225 km of migratory routes in 9 hotspot localities was identified as a priority to prevent recurrent conflicts triggered by farm destructions. Providing two haffirs and four veterinary clinics as ancillary services to be established along those routes, is deemed a complementary priority for sustainability and maximum impact in the identified areas.

West Darfur is endowed with arable land for farming and livestock rearing, making the state attractive for seasonal migration of nomadic herders from North Darfur and Chad. These seasonal migrations exacerbate conflict between farmers and nomadic herders as a result of increased demand for pasture and water resources. In order to address this cyclic phenomenon, 20 km of the Arara-Gerjira migratory route will be demarcated and two water points and a veterinary clinic established along the route.

Last December, UNAMID initiated a proposal for above project, this, as reflected above, has since been approved under the UNPDF.