Crop Farmer/ Pastoralist Conflict as a Challenge to Livestock Development and Animal Agriculture: The Experience of Pastoralists in Imo State, Nigeria

Chikaire JU, Odoemenam EF, Orusha JO, Onogu B

Abstract


One of the major but hidden challenges to livestock development and animal agriculture the world over is resource-use conflicts between crop farmers and pastoralists. This is so because during conflict situation, almost all human livelihood activities come to a standstill including livestock farming. This study, therefore, sought to examine how crop farmer/pastoralist conflicts hinder livestock production. Questionnaires and oral interviews were used to obtain information from a total of 40 pastoralists in Imo state. Data were analyzed using percentages, mean and standard deviation. The results showed that the mean age of pastoralists was 38, and the mean household size was 10, mean herding experience was 18. The following were the causes of conflicts between crop farmer/pastoralist: blocking of water sources by crop farmers with a mean (M) response of 3.30, farming across cattle routes (M=2.95), burning of fields (M=3.30), theft/stealing of cattle (M=3.40), among others. The factors attracting the pastoralists to the study area were availability of special pasture (M=2.37), availability of land for lease (M=2.52), water availability (M=2.60), among other reasons. Conflicts, therefore, affect livestock production in the following ways: unsafe field for grazing, poor animal health, loss of human and animal lives, abandonment of herds for dear life and many others.

Keywords


Animal, Agriculture, Conflict, Livestock, Pastoralists

Full Text:

PDF

References


Awogbade MO. Grazing reserves in Nigeria. Nomadic Peoples 1987; 23: 18-30.

Adisa RS, Adekunle AO. Farmer herdsmen conflicts: A factor analysis of socio-economic conflict variables among arable crop farmers in North Central Nigeria. J Hum Ecol 2010; 30: 1-9.

Bassett TJ. The political ecology of peasant-herders conflicts in the Northern Ivory Coast. Ann Assoc Am Geogr 1988; 78(3): 453-72.

Blench RM. Conflict between pastoralists and cultivators in Nigeria. Review paper prepared for DFID, Nigeria. 2010. Retrieved May 20th 2015 from http://www. rogerblench.info.RBOP.tmm

Blench R, Dendo M. The transformation of conflict between pastoralists and cultivators in Nigeria. J Afr 2013; 1-10.

Braukämper U. Management of conflicts over pastures and fields among the baggara Arabs of the Sudan Belt. Nomad Peopl 2000; 4(1): 37-49.

FAO. Grazing reserves and development blocks: A case study from Nigeria development requirements. 1985. http://www.fao.org/wairdocs/ilri/x5539e/x5539e09. htm. Accessed 25 Feb 2015.

FAO. Pastoralism and range land management. 1985. www.fao.org/docrep/014/i1861e/i1861e10.pdf. Accessed 12 Mar 2015.

FAO/WFP. Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission to South Sudan. Special Report. 2014.

Gefu JO, Kolawole A. Conflict in common property resource use: Experiences from an irrigation project. Paper presented for 9th Biennial Conference of the International Association for the study of common property (IASCP), Victoria Falls Zimbabwe. Jun 2002.

Kassam A, Kueneman E, Kebe B et al. Enhancing crop-livestock systems in conservation agriculture for sustainable production intensification: A farmer discovery process going to scale in Burkina Faso. Integrated Crop Management 2009.

Manu IN, Bime Mary-Juliet, Fon DE et al. Effect of farmer-grazer conflicts on rural development: A socioeconomic analysis. Schol J Agric Sc 2014; 4(3): 113-20.

Mutibvu T, Maburutse BE, Mbiriri DT et al. Constraints and opportunities for increased livestock production in communal areas: A case study of Simbe, Zimbabwe. Livest Res Rural Dev 2012; 24: 9.

Sokoto MA. The impact of conflict on the economy: The case of Plateau state of Nigeria.

Nyong A, Fiki C. Drought-related conflicts, management and resolution in the West African Sahel. In: Human Security and Climate Change International Workshop Oslo. GECHS, CICERO 2005; 5-16.

Okoli AC, Atelhe GA. Nomads against natives: A political ecology of herder/ farmer conflicts in Nasarawa state, Nigeria. American Int J Contemp Res 2014; 4(2): 76-88.

Peeling D, Holden S. The effectiveness of communitybased animal health workers, for the poor, for communities and for public safety. Rev Sci Technol 2004; 23(1): 253-76.

Pell AN, Stroebel A, Kristjanson P. Livestock development projects that make a difference: What works, what doesn’t and why. In: Swanepoel FJC, Stroebel A, Moyo S (Eds.). The Role of Livestock in Developing Communities: Enhancing Multi-functionality. Wageningen, The Netherlands: CTA 2010; 12-29.


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.