A restored dam in Torla, northern Ivory Coast, is helping ease tensions between farming and herding communities whose livelihoods depend on access to land and water. As grazing areas and water points dried up, herders had to move their cattle farther from the village, often across cultivated fields. Crop damage prompted disputes, reflecting a recurring dry-season challenge across much of the region, where seasonal livestock movements and expanding farmland increasingly compete for space. During the rainy season, agricultural expansion also leaves less land available for grazing.
Completed in August, the dam’s rehabilitation has increased its water storage and made supplies more reliable throughout the dry months, serving both livestock and crop irrigation. Managed by the local community, the project receives support from the International Organization for Migration, the UN Peacebuilding Fund and partners. Its objectives are to prevent conflicts arising from competition over natural resources and strengthen community resilience. In Torla, residents are already engaging in dialogue and managing shared resources together.
Mr Ouattara, who has led the local herders’ association since 2021 and represented herders in disputes and community discussions, reports fewer confrontations and greater willingness to talk. Ms Traoré has expanded her vegetable plot thanks to the dependable supply, and says the work supports her children’s schooling. More reliable access to water also creates opportunities for women to grow vegetables for sale, an important source of household income locally. For residents, the dam represents both practical support for agriculture and an opportunity for more peaceful coexistence.
