The article addresses conflict management in contexts where pastoralists and agro‐pastoralists are engaged in multiple resource use systems. In these a resource is used by more than one owner, either for the same purposes (e.g. rangelands which are grazed by different herdowners or groups of herdowners), or for different purposes (e.g. wetlands which are used for both cropping and for grazing). In such situations conflicts and disputes and attempts to resolve, accommodate or manage conflict, have become increasingly important issues. The article examines the causes of conflict in these contexts, and discusses innovative approaches to its prevention and management. Also explored are the implications for conflict management of policies and programmes which promote decentralization and the empowerment of local decision makers.