Abstract

Conflict Transformation has grown to be a key theme of peace discourse over the years. The term has been known to infuse the ideals of conflict prevention,conflict management and cnflict resolution; thusgiving the opportuninty to to address the root causes of conflict and generate such energy emanating from such confict into meaningful outcomes. In light of its importance, conflict transformation is seen as the prime solution to conflict-induced underdevelopment patterns in Nigeria.Amajor component of internal srife in Africa in recent years has revolved aroud food security and resource control.While on the one hand African societies have been battling the ill of food scarcity and hunger, there have been variuos conflicts instigated by the struggle over resouces and how they are shared among different groups within the same country. Food scarcity and resource conflict have grown to undermine development in Africa as they have stemmed the tide of progrss due to lack of understanding and cooperation from affected parties.In Nigeria, both themes can be found in the current conflict between farmers and herders.In this sence, while the conflict directly affect food production in the country, the ccnstant clashes over land use has led to the loss of lifes and properties in most states of the federation. The choice of KwaraState for this sudy is not only down to insessant clashes witnessed hitherto but the unique characteristics of the state. Kwara State is located in the middle belt region of Nigeria and is composed of key ethnicity critical to this study. The study recommended the importance of conflict transformation in attending to the conflict between farmers and herders in Nigeria. Transfering the energy generated from the conflict into peaceful outcome will not only ease the burden of rehabilitation on the government but aid the use of public-private partnership in the development of Kwarastate Nigeria