FARMER-HERDER CONFLICT AND THE AGRICULTURAL LIVELIHOOD ACTIVITIES OF FARMERS IN EBONYI STATE, NIGERIA FARMER-HERDER CONFLICT AND THE AGRICULTURAL LIVELIHOOD ACTIVITIES OF FARMERS IN EBONYI STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study examined the farmer-herder conflict and the agricultural livelihood activities of rural farmers in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Purposive and random sampling techniques were used to select 120 rural farmers. Data collection was through a questionnaire and analyzed using mean while ANOVA was used to test the hypothesis formulated for the study. Findings show that grazing rights dispute (= 3.11), lack of security in the rural areas (= 3.07), destruction of farmlands and crops (= 3.05), land encroachment (= 3.01), reprisal attacks (= 2.97), poor arrest and prosecution of offenders (= 2.72), stealing of farm produce (= 2.68), rape and sexual harassment (= 2.64) and population increase (= 2.54) were the perceived causes of farmers- herdsmen conflict in the study area. Destruction of crops (= 3.69), loss of labour as a result of killings and displacement of rural dwellers (= 3.57), high transportation costs (= 3.45), disruption of planting activities (= 3.44), disruption of supply and distribution of agricultural inputs (= 3.43), loss of storage and processing facilities (= 3.38), loss of cultivable farm lands (= 3.35), unfavorable market prices (= 3.29) and lack of contact with extension agents (= 3.17) were the negative effect of farmers herdsmen conflict on the agricultural livelihood activities of rural farmers in the study area. Findings also revealed that the formation of vigilante groups/night watcher volunteers (= 3.12), use of males as major source of farm labour (= 3.04), ban on open grazing (= 2.98), reporting conflict activities to community leaders and security agents (= 2.91), walking in groups to the farm (= 2.87), formation of cooperative groups (= 2.83) and relocation to other areas in periods of severity (= 2.80) were the coping strategies adopted by rural farmers in the study area. The ANOVA result shows that there was a significant difference in the effect of farmer’s herdsmen conflict on the agricultural livelihood activities of rural farmers in the study area at a 5% probability level. Conclusively, farmers herdsmen conflict had a negative effect on the agricultural livelihood activities of rural farmers in the study area. The study recommended that extension agents and non-governmental organizations assist in the proper education of rural farmers on the adoption of effective coping strategies in mitigating the effects of farmers-herdsmen conflict on their livelihood activities.