Abstract:
The paper focuses on the contradictions of herdsmen and farmers conflicts in the North Central
Nigeria, and its challenges on cattle rearing, peasant farmers, and rural-urban migration. North Central
Nigeria consists of Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Plateau, and Nassarawa states. These states have many
peasant farmers, few civil servants, and petty traders. Herdsmen and farmers conflicts have historical
conditions in the form of internal invasion, expansion fuelled by Jihad wars, colonialism, and search
for greener pastures for the Fulani cattle. Parts of the contradictions are that the Chad basin had dried
up and peasant farmers are increasing in large numbers, but the land is not expanding. Government
policy on agriculture without encouraging merchandised farming is a challenge. A cross-sectional
the research design was used to analyse data collected from three hundred and twenty-one (321) survey
participants in North Central Nigeria, in order to analyse the survey data and draft the final findings,
the study made use of descriptive and inferential statistics to analyse the data of the study, the survey
responses are graphically and tabular presentations, frequency, Variance Inflation Factors (VIF) were
used for pretest, T-statistics, and probit regression analysis was used as inferential tools and results
interpreted for finally drafting the research findings. The analysis finds that farmer-herdsmen has
279.749 Likelihood ratio of effect on the development of North central Nigeria with the corresponding
significance value of 0.000 with this we conclude that farmer-herdsmen are a consequential product of
weak institutions of the government in Nigeria, civil societies, and opposition parties which affects the
development of the Nation. The probit analysis of 144.617 (0.000) and t-statistics also shows that poor
policy of the government has a significant negative effect on food security and business activities, and
infrastructures which are all aspects of national development in North Central Nigeria. We conclude
that the Fulani herdsmen and farmers’ conflicts should be resolved especially as we prepared for
another phase of administration. The conflicts have negative consequences on food security, rural-urban migration, production of goods, and services, and the peaceful co-existence. We recommend stronger
institutions, merchandised farming, and ranching. |
