Chad’s long-standing conflict between nomadic herders and settled farmers over resources like water and land has reached a boiling point, and a new pastoral law threatens to further inflame the situation. This silent war, rooted in the stark contrast between the sedentary farming communities of southern Chad and the nomadic herders of the north, has been exacerbated by factors such as population growth and climate change. Droughts have become more frequent, compelling herders to venture further south in search of grazing and water for their livestock, leading to increased competition and tensions.
The Chadian government’s proposal to pass a pastoral law in September 2025 leans heavily in favor of the herders, potentially deepening the rift between the two communities. Southern farmers have raised concerns, pointing to several articles within the law that they argue demonstrate a clear bias against them. Article 11, for instance, guarantees compensation for herders whose rights to grazing land are encroached upon by mining or oil operations, but makes no such promise for farmers facing similar losses.
Moreover, Article 26 mandates that transhumance corridors, the paths pastoralists use to cross land, must be wide enough to accommodate their herds, a provision that ignores the fact that neither community has consistently respected these corridors. The situation is further complicated by herders trespassing on agricultural land and farmers planting crops on these corridors to meet the growing population’s demand.
Article 46 shifts the responsibility for preventing livestock from damaging crops onto farmers, placing the burden on them rather than on herders who may fail to control their cattle. This law, if passed, risks eroding the trust the southern population has in the government, a trust that has been fraying since the election of Hissene Habré in 1982, when power shifted from the Christian south to the Muslim north. The ruling elite’s protection of herders has led to near-impunity, fostering resentment and the potential for farmers to resort to vigilantism.
The absence of a complementary agricultural law has heightened discontent in the south, where the government’s 2014 proposal for a balanced reform to the pastoral sector was met with strong opposition and subsequently withdrawn. The current government, led by President Idriss Déby Itno’s son, Mahamat, maintains that the law is necessary to regulate Chad’s livestock sector. However, the Catholic Church, which has a strong presence in the south, has decried the government’s plan, accusing it of favoritism towards herders and even “peasanticide.”.
The proposed pastoral law, as it stands, is likely to exacerbate the violence between herders and farmers. The International Crisis Group reported that between 2021 and 2024, intercommunal fighting resulted in over 1,000 fatalities and more than 2,000 injuries. The situation has not improved in 2025, as evidenced by the arrest of opposition leader Succès Masra, who is popular in the south for his criticism of the herder-farmer clashes.
His imprisonment, amidst what seems like questionable evidence, underscores the political instrumentalization of such violence.
To address this escalating crisis, the Chadian government should initiate a national consultation involving political opposition, civic and religious organizations, including the Catholic Church, and herder and farmer communities. The European Union, a significant donor to Chad, could finance a roundtable discussion to improve the parts of the pastoral law that have upset the southern farmer community. The African Union, with its more diplomatic role, could also support this process.
Drawing on examples from other African countries, such as Kenya’s successful mediation of intercommunal conflicts between herders and farmers, Chad must act swiftly. Implementing a EU-funded fencing initiative and fining trespassers could help deter conflicts. Prompt government action is crucial to prevent the death toll from rising further. With international support and a willingness to learn from successful models, Chad has the opportunity to avoid the devastating consequences of this growing crisis.
Source: African Arguments
Original author: Julia Aggett
