Climate Change, Herder-Farmer Conflict and Food Security In Yewa North, Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

One of the challenges confronting the global system is the persistent increasing change in climate causing environmental issues like drought, warming rising ocean, forest fires, flooding, forced displacement, increasing health risks, hunger and violent conflicts. One of the climate-change induced violent conflict is herder-farmer conflict. The persistent climate change affecting availability of environmental resources compels the herders to move across national territories in search of water and grasses. In Yewa North, Ogun state, there have been perennial conflicts between crop farmers and herders in Yewa North affecting agricultural productivity. Adopting eco-violence theory, the paper interrogated how herder-farmer conflict has affected food security in the local government area. The paper argued that that hotter temperature, increased drought and desertification have led to the migration by the herders into Yewa North, causing violent conflicts between the two groups, portending a threat to agricultural production. The crop farmers face the problems of drought occasioned by climate change and influx of migrant herdsmen contending for land resources. It further argued that apart from loss of lives, displacement of people, there is an imminent food insecurity in the area due to persistent clashes between the two agricultural groups. It is recommended that there is need for inter-agency collaboration between the security agents and community security providers in addressing perennial violent crises between the two groups. Ranches based on private-partnership collaboration are to be created in the home states of the herders to curb consistent mobility by the herders. Strict border control facilitated by modern satellite technology along the Nigerian borders is necessary. Farmers should be trained in climate-smart adaptation to increase agricultural productivity.