Consequences of Herders - Farmers Conflict on Food Security in Nigeria: A Review of Literatures on Nigeria 2016-2022

Abstract

This article examines the consequences of herders- farmers conflict on food security in Nigeria. Herders and farmers conflict has been disastrous and has caused social, political and economic unrest on both the farmers and the herdsmen. The clash between the herdsmen and farmers has placed Nigeria as country of "hotbed" for her citizens to rest on. This conflict has threatened food production, peace and economic activities especially in the rural where the conflict has it grip on. It is pertinent to state that for a society to survive, there is need for the provisions of basic societal needs. This needs are security, peace, economic development, shelter and food. Overtime the Nigerian state has been faced with debilitating and cancerous issues of insecurity, which has affected every strata of human existence. Fulani herders and farmers conflict has posed serious threat to the availability of food in Nigeria at large. Aside the threat on food security, there is mass destruction of Lives and property. The qualitative method was used for collection of information relevant to this study by using secondary sources which implies gathering of information through the use of Internet, articles, and already written related document on the subject of discourse. The information gotten were analyzed through the use of content analysis. The study focused on the Nigerian state and scope of analysis covers from 2016-2022. The study adopted the frustration- aggression theory. The theory reveals that conflict occur in the society when ones interest is threatened and the inability to achieve this interest result into conflict, which is the situation with herders and farmers. Furthermore the consequences of the conflict was revealed, a snapshot scenario of some selected states like Ebonyi and Benue state was discussed, the mechanisms (measures) to resolve the conflict was discussed. Based on the findings it was discovered that, the conflict has tremendous effect on the lives of the people as well as on their properties.  Hence, Recommendations were made to curtail random movement by the herdsmen and the cattle, the government should set aside areas for their grazing to be monitored by the agent of the government in such local community.