ASSESSING THE FACTORS INFLUENCING FARMER-HERDER CONFLICTS (PHLCS) IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: A CASE STUDY IN THE OKE-OGUN, NIGERIA

Abstract

Lately, there has been an upsurge in different forms of violent conflicts in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study focuses on Farmer-herder land conflict (FHLC) in Oke-Ogun, Nigeria, identifying and examining factors influencing farmer-herder land conflicts (FHLCs). Using both primary and secondary data, the study employed descriptive statistical analysis. Findings revealed that politics was the primary factor influencing FHLC (70.66%) in the Oke-Ogun Region OOR. Findings further identified that farming was subsistence-based (70.0%) and the predominant land use, with a Rate of Influencing Index (RII) of 4.50, while herding was mainly for prestige and commercial purposes, with 6.8% participation and an RII of 3.55. The remaining 23.2% of the respondents engaged in other land-use activities. The mean farm size was 488 hectares, and the average herd size was 460 cattle. The study has shown that farmer-herder land conflict is common in the study area. The conflict has the potential to affect the livelihoods of both the farmers and the herders. Thus, the government's weakness in leaving land administration and land conflict resolution to community leaders and individual families requires urgent attention. Apart from this, the conflict should be promptly and adequately managed through a conflict resolution method or procedure acceptable to all parties to prevent favouritism and marginalisation of any party, and to allow peace between the concerned parties.