Effects of Farmers Herdsmen Conflicts on the Food Security Status of Farming Households in Enugu State, Nigeria
Oti, O. G., Onyia, C. C. & Umoinyang, M. E.
Department of Agricultural Economics
University of Nigeria, Nsukka
Email: oti.okpani@unn.edu.ng
Corresponding Author: Oti, O. G.
ABSTRACT
The
study examined the implications of the perennial conflict between farmers and
Hausa/Fulani herdsmen on food security in Nigeria. The study utilized primary data
collected from 210 farm households from seven villages in southeast Nigeria
where herdsmen attacks on farm households have been severe. Descriptive
statistics such as means and percentages, 2/3 mean monthly per capital food
expenditure of households and the logistic regression models were employed in
analyzing the data. The result showed that the average age of the heads of the
farm households was 48years, 64% of them were males, while another 77% were
married. Also, the farm households had an average size of 12 members, with
average annual farm and non-farm income of N387,
542.30 and N132, 400.25, respectively. The
food security line of the farm households was N2,
533.79. About 45.7% of them were food secure, while 54.3% were food insecure.
The logit regression showed that the food security status of farm households
were significantly affected by sex, marital status, size of farmlands
destroyed, attack on farmers’ homes by herdsmen and migration of people away
from communities. Policies were recommended that would protect farmers and
farmlands from the serial attacks of herdsmen, and attract the interest of youths
in agriculture.
Keywords: Hausa/Fulani herdsmen, Farm households, Conflict, Food Security
