Guidamakha’s Village Committees Lead Resilience Efforts in Mauritania
April 2025
One hot afternoon in the village of Tagoutalla, a man was caught chopping down trees near the edge of a communal forest. Tempers flared. His actions, villagers said, threatened their already fragile environment and access to precious natural resources.
But before things could escalate, members of the local village committee stepped in and initiated a mediation process.
They brought the man and his neighbors together for an open discussion, where questions were asked, concerns shared, and sustainable practices exchanged. By the end, the man had come to understand the broader impact of his actions and was convinced of the rationale for stopping tree-cutting and instead using improved stoves.
The community reached a shared agreement—an informal pact to protect what little was left of the woodland that had shaded them for generations.
More than a resolution, the intervention strengthened collective awareness of natural resource management and reinforced the role of the committee as a pillar of dialogue and prevention.
In this remote corner of southern Mauritania, where small disputes can spark larger crises, this quiet, community-led leadership is helping change the course.
A Community-Led Approach to Climate and Conflict
The Guidimakha region, rich in agropastoral potential, is grappling with the rising impacts of climate change. Transhumance patterns and resource scarcity have deepened longstanding tensions between herders and farmers—disputes that often erupt with little warning.
Since November 2022, a peacebuilding initiative funded by the UN 91制片厂building Fund (PBF) and implemented by IOM, FAO, and ILO has helped strengthen local capacities for climate-sensitive conflict prevention and disaster risk management. With a budget of USD 3 million, the project focuses on reinforcing community resilience—starting with the people themselves.
The most visible sign of this transformation? The revitalization of 44 village committees, active across 40 localities. These grassroots bodies have become trusted intermediaries between local communities, government authorities, and development partners.
Village committees are playing an increasingly central role in managing conflicts, especially between herders and farmers. In 2023, 16 committees handled 101 local disputes, resolving 82—an 81.2% resolution rate. In 2024, the resolution rate climbed to 98%, with 95 out of 97 conflicts successfully mediated. The vast majority of these were related to resource-based tensions, such as land boundaries and the use of natural resources.
These committees don’t just respond to disputes—they monitor food prices, raise awareness of bushfire risks, coordinate emergency responses, and oversee community-led development projects. In Hassi Chaggar, locals even trust them to ensure the quality of essential goods in the local market—a testament to the deep trust they’ve earned.
Trust Earned, Not Given
Earning this trust hasn’t been easy. In their early stages, many committees lacked formal recognition, weakening their ability to mediate disputes effectively. But a series of workshops brought local authorities—including walis, hakems, and mayors—into the fold, helping to institutionalize their role.
Each committee has about ten members—selected through community assemblies and formally endorsed by local authorities. Of the 515 members, 171 are women (33%) and 93 are youth (18%), ensuring that decisions reflect the full spectrum of community voices.
Beyond mediation, committee members act as educators—raising awareness on responsible resource management, such as water preservation and sustainable land use.
A Future Built Together
The results are already visible.
Today, committees are integrated into local governance structures, coordinating with authorities on contingency stock management, bushfire and flood response, broader disaster preparedness, and local development. They’ve become a backbone for resilience, rooted in tradition but geared toward the future.
Back in Tagoutalla, the tree cutter who once stood defiant now joins community efforts to raise awareness about environmental stewardship.
And across Guidimakha, villages once marked by tension are showing what’s possible when communities are empowered to lead.
In the face of growing climate threats and social pressure, village committees stand as pillars of peace, resilience, and social cohesion—a model of what can be achieved when solutions are driven by those most affected.
