Across Central Africa, pastoralists rely on rangelands to sustain their livelihoods, drawing on generations of knowledge to manage livestock in some of the world’s harshest climates.

Pastoralism generates wealth and livelihoods from the economic activity it brings. Trade between herders and farmers also supports food security and builds trust through mutual benefit. However, increasing pressure from climate change and conflict is disrupting this balance, intensifying competition over scarce resources and deepening divisions between these communities.

We work to bring herders and farmers together, supporting dialogue, cooperation, and locally led solutions that address the root causes of conflict and promote more resilient communities.

Conflict is never neutral. It is deeply gendered, meaning that men and women are affected in profoundly different ways. This is because gender norms, roles, and expectations influence how conflict is fought and felt, often reinforcing harmful patterns that sustain cycles of violence and inequality. We are seeing this in Sudan and South Sudan, where women are being used to justify violence.

In many communities, young men are called to join armed groups, invoking patriarchal ideas of men as protectors and women as vulnerable dependents. This narrative encourages men to “defend” their women, appealing to their sense of duty and honour, while simultaneously reinforcing women’s subordinate position in society.