UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY Contextualising Conflict, Mediating Livelihoods: A Place-Based Approach to Herder-Local Conflicts in Northeastern Ghana. By RITA DA-ONI-MA YEMBILAH A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY CALGARY, ALBERTA APRIL 2012 © Rita Yembilah 2012 Library and Archives Bibliotheque et Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du Branch Patrimoine de I'edition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Ottawa ON K1A 0N4 Canada Canada Your file Votre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-87918-4 Our file Notre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-87918-4 NOTICE: AVIS: The author has granted a non­ L'auteur a accorde une licence non exclusive exclusive license allowing Library and permettant a la Bibliotheque et Archives Archives Canada to reproduce, Canada de reproduire, publier, archiver, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public communicate to the public by par telecommunication ou par I'lnternet, preter, telecommunication or on the Internet, distribuer et vendre des theses partout dans le loan, distrbute and sell theses monde, a des fins commerciales ou autres, sur worldwide, for commercial or non­ support microforme, papier, electronique et/ou commercial purposes, in microform, autres formats. paper, electronic and/or any other formats. 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Canada UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES The undersigned certify that they have read, and recommend to the Faculty of Graduate Studies for acceptance, a thesis entitled "Contextualising Conflict, Mediating Livelihoods: A Place-Based Approach To Herder-Local Conflicts In Northeastern Ghana" submitted by Rita D. Yembilah in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Supervisor, Dr. Miriam R, Grant, Department of Geography/University of British Columbia, Okanagan Co-supervisor, Dr. Dianne L, Draper, Department of Geography Dr. Amal I. Madibbo, Department of Sociology Dr. Charles H. Mather, Department of Anthropology Dr. Wisdom J. Tettey, Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies, University of British Columbia, Okanagan External Examiner, Dr. Blair Rutherford, Carleton University March 29, 2012 ii Abstract The migration of pastoralists in West Africa in search of resources has gone on for centuries, but the establishment of bases in southern West Africa begun in the 1970s and has often been met with various levels of local resistance. In Ghana, herders mostly live in the grasslands and coastal savannas. Relations with locals have been mixed, but typically tense. This study adopts a place approach to explore local-herder notions of space and place, the herder influx, livelihoods, territoriality', resource seeking and conflict resolution. Utilising the Sustainable livelihoods framework (Ashley & Carney, 2001) and Alexander's (2008) Mediation Metamodel, the study explores how to diffuse conflict and improve livelihoods. Herder-local notions of spatial concepts are characterised by disconnect which explains the herder influx and local chagrin over the matter. Herders utilise five types of alliances to move into an area including Alhaji and Yusuf. These alliances influence herders' territoriality regarding power and resource access. It appears that the herders' impact on resource access and livelihoods is exaggerated, but crop damage from herder catde is a significant threat. The causes of conflict have been grouped into core and peripheral, where the core produce conflict and magnify peripheral issues. However, the link between core and peripheral issues is contingent on leadership. With increasing herder settlement, it is critical to manage the situation in a manner that redistributes power and protects stakeholders' livelihoods. The study also recommends the Herder-\ j)cal Mediation and Resources and Livelihoods frameworks respectively, to manage herder-local relations and further livelihoods. Keywords: Fulani, Pastoralism, Political Ecology, Space, Place, Territoriality, Livelihoods, Conflict, Resource Access Regime, Leadership, Positionalitv, Mediation, Ghana, Burkina Faso iii Acknowledgements Money matters, but less than we think and not in the way that we think. Family is important. So are friends. Envy is toxic. So is excessive thinking. Beaches are optional. Trust is not. Neither is gratitude Weiner (2009): The Geography of Bliss The philosophers "in my father's house" say that when the fish comes out of the pond and savs the crocodile is dead, believe him. Coming out of the water of doctoral courses, examinations, research, presentations and writing, I know the process comes with highs, lows and several in-betweens. With Weiner, I believe that of the many optional things we have in life, gratitude is not one of them. During this doctoral journey, people did things for, and/or with me; and now is the time everyone and anyone who aided me in anyway gets an expression of gratitude that is enshrined forever. It is a great opportunity to finally say "thank vou" to all who believed in me, supported me or helped me push through to the end. I owe gratitude to Dr. Miriam Grant for consenting to be my supervisor over the course of this program. You have taught me about professionalism, academic supervision and collegialitv. These lessons 1 will take and use to the benefit of self and others. Your letters of recommendation contributed to my being awarded several scholarships of which I am proud, and which helped me work to the best of my ability. As a mother juggling a young familv and full-time studv, 1 had my challenges and 1 am grateful for your accommodations. I will remain indebted to you for your time and effort. Along with Dr. Grant, 1 also acknowledge Drs. Dianne Draper and Wisdom Tettey for contributing so immensely to the theoretical shaping of this work. Your suggestions helped me to break out of my comfort zone of merely researching the expulsion of herders iv to an interrogation of the research in terms of the broader issues of political ecology and the politics of space and place, perspectives that have given me a deeper appreciation of the interconnections between theory and practice. I am similarly thankful for your recommendation letters and the wealth of your professional experiences that helped me to stay grounded, hopeful and determined to finish the race. Many thanks to Drs. Rutherford, Madibbo and Mather for the painstaking review of this thesis. Your intellectual investment gives me a great (and probably lifelong) sense of accomplishment. Sincere gratitude to the Department of Geography, University of Calgary for generous financial support that enabled my enrolment in the program and also to the Faculty of Graduate Studies for several scholarships including the University of Calgary Ruby Doctoral Scholarship that sustained my studies post field research. I also thank the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) for a generous IDRC Doctoral Research Award which enabled me to conduct this research with little financial stress. The award also gave me the opportunity to be thorough and observe ethical protocols that made the field season exciting, cordial, successful and immensely enlightening. Fieldwork is never an easy task and my "baggage" as contained in Chapter Three further complicated issues. Mr. Charles Kolog was a game changer in many respects. His great rapport with the herders, willingness to travel with, and introduce me, set me on the path to developing rapport of my own with both locals and herders. Charles is an excellent facilitator: arranging meetings, motorcycles for forest travel, recruiting capable, locally-based field assistants and generating opportunities for wider community contact. My unwavering gratitude to you for the selfless and exceptional assistance that gave fieldwork the takeoff that guaranteed such overwhelming success. v Mv research assistants: Martin Kolog (no relation of Charles), Albert Kuyare, Christopher Adombia and Beatrice Naab were so enthusiastic and committed, delegation of dudes was effordess. You each demonstrated versatility that made fieldwork very fluid by deftly and cheerfully taking on various roles seamlessly: transportation, errands, translation, respondent organisation, troubleshooting and operating field equipment. A special recognition of Chris' outgoing personality that broke ice and made connections with respondents irrespective of age, gender or ethnicity in ways I could not have done myself. You are aptly nicknamed Moving Spirit! And to Joseph Volmakenna for special trips to Nungu, herders' dry season "spots" and the White