Mediation as mechanism for resolving farmer herder conflicts in the municipality of tchaourou (benin): how effective is it in promoting peaceful coexistence?

The management of agro-pastoral conflicts represents a major challenge for social cohesion and the sustainable management of natural resources in West Africa. In Tchaourou, northern Benin, mediation is increasingly used as an alternative mechanism for resolving disputes between farmers and herders. This article aims to analyze the effectiveness of this mechanism in the resolution of farmer–herder conflicts in the municipality of Tchaourou. The methodological approach combined mixed methods, including field surveys with 215 direct stakeholders and focus group discussions. The main data collected pertained to the frequency of recourse to mediation, satisfaction rates following conflict resolution, perceptions of fairness, and the sustainability of agreements. Content analysis and descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data collected. The results show that 72% of the interviewed actors resorted to mediation, with a sustainability rate of 64%. Customary mechanisms remain the most frequently used and are perceived as the fairest. However, the system’s effectiveness is limited by several constraints, including a lack of coordination and the politicization of certain resolutions. The study concludes that mediation represents a relevant lever for local peacebuilding, but its long-term impact requires stronger institutionalization and better integration with pastoral policies.