Dr. Olayinka Ajala from Leeds Beckett University (UK) visited MUP
13. 5. 2024 Author: Tereza Němečková The African Studies Centre at MUP continuously aims to connect with foreign researchers and institutions. One recent outcome was the visit of Dr. Olayinka Ajala from Leeds Beckett University in the United Kingdom. Dr. Ajala came to screen a documentary titled 'A Place Once Called Home,' one of his research outputs. This documentary highlights the lived experiences of farmers, reasons for forced migration and displacement, and resulting livelihood transformations in Nigeria. Dr. Ajala also engaged in discussions with students about the content.Agriculture, and more recently, sustainable agriculture in Nigeria, comprise an industry that employs a significant portion of the country’s population. Over 60 percent of Nigerians are involved in the agricultural sector, either directly or indirectly, although predominantly at a subsistence level. Recent anecdotal reports indicate that the effects of climate change, along with the rise in banditry, terrorism, and conflicts between farmers and pastoralists, have compounded the challenges to agricultural sustainability in the country.
Research conducted by the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution reveals that over the past five years, conflicts between farmers and pastoralists have led to the displacement of over 300,000 people, primarily from farming communities, in four Nigerian states: Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, and Taraba. Furthermore, as of February 2023, approximately 2.4 million internally displaced persons were recorded in Nigeria as a whole. Thousands of these displaced communities have resettled in various parts of the country.
Dr. Olayinka Ajala visited MUP to screen a documentary titled 'A Place Once Called Home,' which reflects the results of his project. The aim of his investigation was to assess the extent to which factors such as climate change, terrorism, and conflicts between farmers and pastoralists have contributed to forced displacements, as well as to understand how farming communities are adapting their livelihoods in response. The documentary sparked a lively discussion among students, covering many relevant aspects of the current situation facing displaced communities in Nigeria.
We extend our sincere thanks to Dr. Ajala for his willingness to visit Prague and eagerly anticipate further opportunities for collaboration.
The African Studies Centre at MUP
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