Boko Haram Crises and Agricultural Land Use Conflicts Between Migrant Populations and Hosts in the Mora Plain in the Far North of Cameroon

The Mora Commune in the Far North of Cameroon, specifically within the Mayo-Sava department, has faced a significant influx of migrants since 2013 due to renewed threats from the Boko Haram terrorist sect. This migration includes individuals from Nigeria, Chad, the Central African Republic, and internally displaced persons from villages near the Nigerian border, heightening demographic pressure in the commune. This continuous arrival of migrants has impacted agricultural land use, sparking conflicts between the settled migrant population outside camps and the local host community. The study seeks to characterise these agricultural land-use conflicts, identify their determinants, and propose mitigation strategies. This analysis relies on the theory of osmosis and a methodology that integrates quantitative and qualitative approaches, employing tools such as documentary research, observation, questionnaires, and interviews conducted in three villages: Igawa, Massaré II, and Waladé. Key findings reveal a marked increase in both refugees outside camps (12,269 in 2015, 11,706 in 2016, and 40,458 in 2020) and internally displaced persons (64,266 in 2015, 65,606 in 2016, and 255,886 in 2020), leading to a diversification of agricultural land users. This surge has intensified land pressure, resulting in significant consequences: a fluctuating reduction in cultivated agricultural spaces by approximately 10% between 2000 and 2020, the abandonment of numerous fields (10,925.62 ha in 2014; 13,184.36 ha in 2015; and 18,351.85 ha in 2016) due to insecurity, and a subsequent decline in major crop production. Conflicts have also arisen from mixed land acquisition methods and strained social cohabitation. State interventions, including sanctions and victim compensation, have been implemented, but further conflict reduction could involve community awareness campaigns to discourage self-justice and the formalisation of land ownership through location and purchase certificates. Additionally, the adoption of market gardening systems by migrants for certain food crops has begun to mitigate agricultural losses and alleviate tensions over land use.