Tensions and Conflicts in the Socio-land Arenas of the South of Bougouni and Yanfolila, in Mali

Abstract

Cohabitation between natives of Bougouni and Yanfolila and non-natives is increasingly deteriorating due to a combination of factors. This article examines the causes of conflicts among the various actors in the socio-land arenas of Bougouni and Yanfolila. Quantitative data were collected from 240 randomly selected heads of agricultural production units (UPA) and 27 semi-structured interviews with resource people. The results reveal several causes of conflict, including pressure on agricultural, pastoral, and forest lands; the establishment of monetized royalties for non-natives; the massive influx of farmers from the Koutiala region; the return of Malians repatriated from the Ivory Coast; and the emergence of cashew cultivation. Indeed, the management of this migratory flow generates conflicts between natives and hosts, as well as within the native collective.