Oyo L-PRES Trains Staff on Peace, Conflict Mitigation to Enhance Project Delivery

The Oyo State Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES) has organised a capacity-building training on peace and conflict mitigation for its staff as part of efforts to ensure smooth and effective implementation of the project across communities in the state.

The training, which held at the end of 2025, took place at the Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA) building, Total Garden, Ibadan.

Facilitating the session, the Social Safeguard Officer for L-PRES, Mr. Kunle Akande, said the training was designed to equip project staff with practical knowledge and skills required to manage and resolve conflicts that may arise in the course of implementing project activities.

According to Akande, peace and conflict mitigation are critical to the success of the project, noting that L-PRES project sites are often located in areas where competing interests among livestock farmers could lead to disputes.

“As far as this project is concerned, there is a need for peace and conflict mitigation wherever our project sites are located. There may be clashes of interest among livestock farmers in the state, and equipping project staff with the right concepts will help them address issues effectively while carrying out their duties in the field,” he said.

Participants at the training acknowledged that conflicts had been encountered during project implementation but noted that dialogue and mediation had proven to be effective tools in resolving such challenges.

Speaking on the impact of the training, an agricultural engineer and Project Engineer for Oyo L-PRES, Dr. Engr. Peter Kolawole, described the programme as timely and impactful.

“In project implementation, you are bound to encounter conflicts, and many of us do not always know how to handle them. This training has exposed us beyond my imagination, teaching us how to resolve conflicts within the project team and with host communities for effective project delivery,” Kolawole said.

He added that collaboration and constant engagement with stakeholders had been key strategies in resolving conflicts encountered so far.

Similarly, the Extension and Advisory Services Officer of Oyo L-PRES, Mr. Simeon Ademola Adeniyi, shared his field experiences, citing conflicts related to resources and personal interests in areas such as Iwajowa and Iseyin.

“Through dialogue and meetings with community elders, we were able to resolve Fulani clashes. In cases of resource conflict, such as water scarcity in Iwajowa, the provision of a borehole helped restore peace,” he explained.

Adeniyi emphasised the importance of peace to the success of the project, noting that “peace is a business friend, while conflict is a business enemy.”

He expressed confidence that the training would positively impact project outcomes in the state, stressing that continuous learning would better equip staff to manage conflicts in the field and contribute significantly to the success of the L-PRES initiative in Oyo State.