Abstract

This paper examines an alternative approach that would lead to a more effective solution for managing herdsmen and farmers’ conflict in Benue State, north-central Nigeria. The approach employed was the qualitative approach to data analysis. Findings from the analysis show that the conventional approaches to managing conflicts have proven to be ineffective contrary to expectation. It is the obvious failure of the conventional methods of conflict resolution that informed our choice of an alternative strategy called the strategic conflicts management option.  This option consists of mapping out external strategies and building the internal competence of the actors involved in conflict management; this also includes building the capacities of the parties who are primarily engaged in conflict. The study concludes that the strategic option proposed for conflict resolution would produce a better outcome than the conventional methods which have been found to be ineffective.