Chad has come under scrutiny for its response to the escalating violence between herders and farmers, exacerbated by the ongoing climate crisis. Amnesty International has criticized Chadian officials for their failure to protect those affected by these deadly clashes. In a report covering incidents from 2022 to 2024, it was revealed that 98 people have lost their lives, with at least 100 more injured and 600 displaced due to the conflicts serving as a stark testament to the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region.
The violence, particularly in southern Chad, is being driven by a combination of climate change, population growth, and an influx of arms and support from neighboring armed groups in the Central African Republic. Environmental changes such as desertification and shrinking pasturelands are forcing herders to migrate to southern regions where conditions are better for livestock. This has led to increased tensions between herders and farmers as they compete for limited resources.
While herders seek out new pastures, farmers, whose livelihoods are similarly threatened by declining soil fertility, often expand their cultivated lands into traditional herder territories. The tensions escalate when cattle stray onto farmland, triggering violent confrontations. A contributing factor to these disputes is the rising presence of “neo-herders,” military and social elites who acquire large plots of land for extensive cattle operations.
Amnesty International has called on the Chadian government to take proactive measures, including honoring obligations under Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 4 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. The organization has recommended developing a coherent legal framework that accommodates climatic and demographic conditions while revitalizing joint farmer-herder committees and climate adaptation strategies.
The situation is further complicated by the nation’s broader socio-political dynamics. Chad’s economy heavily relies on agricultural commodities, with agriculture supporting a majority of households. However, Chad’s political landscape, marked by recent crackdowns on dissent and controversial reforms, has drawn international scrutiny.
Efforts to mediate disputes through consultation mechanisms have achieved limited success, hampered by structural challenges in the nation’s governance. Amnesty International’s report suggests implementing stricter weapon controls, enhancing access to legal protections under the African Charter, and conducting impartial investigations into clashes to ensure that victims receive justice and compensation, steps that may forge a path toward lasting peace in the region.