Improving Sanitation and Hygiene in Farmers and Herders’ Communities: Case Study in North-central Nigeria

This case study documents experiences from a project working in communities in Plateau and Nasarawa states, Nigeria, where there are fragile relationships between farmers and herders and a history of violent clashes. The conflict between farmers and herders has been fuelled by a struggle for resource control and ownership of land and water. The nomadic nature of the herders makes it easy for them to move from one place to another, while the farmers are more stable. Some herders move to an entirely different location, while others move during rainy seasons and come back during the dry season. This movement makes room for friction between the farmers and the herders because when herders come back, the farmers might have converted the places they previously lived into farmlands. The movement also affects the herders' beliefs on using toilets and open defecation – most of them practice open defecation because they feel there is no need to dig toilets as they are highly mobile. Additionally, the farmers can interpret digging toilets as an indication of land grabbing. The case study details findings from health workshops which were conducted with groups of farmers and herders, providing opportunity for the groups to discuss issues separately and together, advocate for the need for everyone to have access to an improved latrine to enable health benefits, and collectively agree community action plans to improve sanitation.