CLIMATE CHANGE, HERDERS AND LAND CULTIVATORS’ CONFLICT AND DISPLACEMENT IN NIGERIA: IMPLICATION FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Rufus Aisedion 1
Ehijiamusor Solomon Agazuma 2
Progress Ehimen Aitokhuehi 3
Department of Political Science, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria 1, 2 & 3
Corresponding Email: raisedion@aauekpoma.edu.ng 1
Abstract
Conflict between herders and land cultivators’ in Nigeria has become a major problem with catastrophic death toll. Millions of property have been destroyed and displacement of people particularly in the Middle Belt is becoming a daily occurrence. More often than not this conflict is climate change induced, motivated by competition over scarce resources like land, water, among others. The ugly situation consequently impact on national development negatively as it interrupts communities and displaced people. The paper employed secondary methods of data collection, sourced from text books, journals, internet for analysis. The objectives of the paper were to examine the linkages between climate change, herders and land cultivators conflict and displacement of victims and how their effects in turn impact on national development in Nigeria. Environmental Scarcity and Frustration-Aggression theories were used as the theoretical framework of the study. The findings revealed that climate change induces migration, unhealthy competition for scarce resources, conflict between herders and farmers resulting from frustration, exacerbates and hindering victims’ inability to positively engage in agricultural activities, earn income, buy goods and invest in the socioeconomic development. The paper concludes that there is a link between climate change, migration, herders and farmers’ competition for scarce resources, conflict and displacement of victims. The paper recommended grazing reserves and farmland protection which should be established through land use reforms and the security agencies need to be overhauled to control arms proliferation to curb the increasing accessibility of arms by unscrupulous elements.
Keywords: Climate Change, Conflict, Development, Displacement, Herder-farmer, National.
