Integrating Indigenous Knowledge into Environmental Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution in Northern Kenya

Ali Ibrahim, Acacia Dialogue Center (Kenya)

The arid borderlands of Northern Kenya and Somalia are sites of recurring resource-based conflicts, shaped by climate variability, pastoralist mobility, and fragile governance. Traditional institutions such as councils of elders and customary law continue to play a central role in mediating disputes, yet they are often underutilized in formal peacebuilding and environmental governance frameworks. This presentation examines how indigenous ecological knowledge and traditional conflict resolution mechanisms can be systematically integrated into environmental peacebuilding efforts. Drawing from case studies in Mandera and Moyale, the paper highlights the potential of conflict sensitivity training for traditional authorities, enabling them to mediate disputes over grazing lands, water points, and cross-border migration in ways that strengthen both social cohesion and ecological sustainability. By bridging indigenous knowledge with formal conflict resolution systems, the approach offers a pathway for resilient, culturally grounded, and inclusive peacebuilding in fragile dryland environments.