Cross-border Cooperation and Conflicts: An Exploration of Cross-border Cattle Herders’ and Crop Farmers’ Cooperation in Sierra Leone’s Border with Guinea

Abstract

This study investigates how cattle herders and crop farmers in the cross-border communities of Sierra Leone bordering Guinea can manage and live in cooperation and peace amidst limited available resources for herders and farmers. Conflicts between cattle herders and crop farmers are common in West and Central Africa, often resulting in large-scale internal or cross-border conflicts, as in Sudan and Nigeria. This case study presents a different outcome in the context of Sierra Leone. Using a qualitative approach, this study demonstrates how a strong nexus of the deep-rooted sense of homogeneity among cross-border community inhabitants significantly contributes towards building cooperation and peace.