Farmers-Herders Conflicts and Development in Nigeria

Abstract

The conflict between farmers and herders have constituted serious concerns and impediments to development in Nigeria. Development entails food security, of which dairy needs are integral. The global campaign for good agricultural practices (GAP) essentially focuses on the preservation of humans, animals and the general ecosystem, as the world continues to confront the depletion of the ozone layers. In Nigeria, the development concerns of farmers-herders’ conflicts are not only pertinent but also daunting as the protracted conflicts increase the burden of food insecurity, human insecurity, ethic/tribal tensions and underdevelopment outcomes. While the challenges posed by the farmers-herders’ conflicts are serious, existentially threatening and hydra-headed, their impacts on development of the country are massive and require urgent attention research and policy terms. This is because development can only be sustainable in an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity. But in situations where conflicts and insecurity are near intractable, development may be mere desideratum. It is against this background that Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs was used to examine the context, burden and tractability of farmers-herders’ conflicts in Nigeria with a view to unpacking the interface of (in)security and development relative to food security in Nigeria.