Almost 270 million people live in borderland regions in Africa, constituting the continent's footprint[i] People from borderland regions face numerous challenges, from the Karamoja cluster between Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, and South Sudan, to the tri-border Mandera Triangle between Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia, and the Virunga territories of Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 

Borderland communities also live across West Africa in the Liptako-Gourma region between Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, as well as the Lake Chad Basin between Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, Chad and the Central African Republic. Borderland communities, though marginalized, are known for their great adaptability and resilience. Despite their ingenuity, they face significant challenges. 

A recent study, ‘Promise, Peril and Resilience: Voices of Agropastoralists in Africa’s Borderland Areas’ published by the UNDP Africa Borderlands Centre (ABC), seeks to provide first-hand evidence through action research to guide the implementation of development and policy initiatives.  The findings are based on interactions with 1,042 agropastoralists residing in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, South Sudan, and Uganda.

While natural resources are becoming scarce due to climate change, other issues such as migration and mobility in search of food, water, pasture, and lack of markets for their products, pose additional challenges. Increased instances of migration separate people from their families, undermining their support networks. 

"The only life I wish to have is raising my cattle and practicing agricultural production,” an agropastoralist from North Pokot, Kenya. “Yet, due to drought, the crops frequently dry up. We also make a living by selling livestock, which is how my children eat. That's my life and the lives of my fellow cattle keepers."

Another agropastoralist from the Upper Nile State in South Sudan said, "I hope the government and its partners would supply us with livestock medicines and immunization services for our animals. Water is critical for our animals. We require watering places, especially during the dry season. We have a lot of difficulty finding water sites, causing some of us to cross to the Ethiopian side in search of pastures for our cattle." 

According to studies on cross-border programming[ii] [iii], most borderlands communities strive to make a living through farming, pastoralism, and/or agropastoralism. Yet, due to a lack of statistics and information on who is most affected, little investment is directed to these areas. Poverty in the borderlands is defined by gender dynamics, with women earning less than men due to lack access or control over property such as land and livestock.

The agropastoralists interviewed in the UNDP report displayed adaptability in the face of challenges and vulnerabilities. To survive, they frequently put their lives, as well as the lives of their families and livestock, at risk. The report comes at a time when the region, especially the Horn of Africa is facing acute food insecurity due to drought, one of its worst in more than four decades. 

The report recommends collaborative approaches to transform the lives of borderland communities by supporting productive natural assets and climate-resilient farming and livestock systems. This calls for action-oriented implementation coupled with incentives and investments to ensure that transformative programmes achieve results. 

To ensure sustainable development and accountability mechanisms in borderland communities, there is a need for a multi-sectoral approach involving the United Nations, the government, private sector, non-governmental organizations, faith-based organizations, community-based organizations, and friends of the respective communities. This way, borderlands can become spaces for development opportunities and innovation.

The Africa Borderlands Centre offers an action-oriented strategy through the Area-Based Portfolio Model that allows for quantifiable and demonstrable development outcomes in the borderlands area of intervention that are needs-driven and sustainable. For instance, to respond to identified community needs, we need a joined resource mobilization strategy to create an implementation plan in response to multiple shocks or risks. Proposals could be for sustainable development projects such as access to clean and safe water for households, livestock, and irrigation.

There is also a need to improve market access and sustainable value chains with a focus on value addition. The African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) provides much-needed economic opportunities, especially for those engaged in cross-border trade. The implementation of the agreement will further expand the flow of capital, create employment opportunities, and contribute to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) due to the consistent flow of labour, goods, and services. As a result, borderland communities can have better incomes and reduced conflict situations, thus enhancing social cohesion.                                                                          

Collaborative action research and development programmes are important for achieving sustainable development in African borderlands. Such approaches are likely to promote meaningful service delivery and good governance and provide practical ways of achieving development solutions by applying evidence-based research.

Lily Murei is a Policy and Research Specialist at the UNDP Africa Borderlands Centre.