Post Farmer-herder Conflict Management and Relief Strategies of Farmers in Nigeria

Purpose: This study shed light on the self-relief strategy employed by farmers after their experience in farmer-herder conflict. Research Method: The survey was carried out among 150 farm households headed in four farming communities. Frequency and logistic regression statistics were employed to analyze data. Findings: Findings showed that farmer-herder conflict resulted in the destruction of farm crops and insufficient food for household consumption among affected rural households. Affected rural households decided to adopt coping strategies that reduce their vulnerability by tightening farm security, preventing future huge farm loss by sowing less, and completely avoiding of risk of conflict effects with no intention to continue crop farming by borrowing money and shifting to off-farm jobs. Education/literacy of the people and causes of conflict were found to be the behavioral control factors of the farmers. Practical Implication: The study provided recommendations for rural development advisors and policymakers to inform post-conflict management and relief strategies for effective coping and adaptation responses to farmer-herders conflict victims in Africa and other developing countries experiencing similar nature of conflict. Originality/ Value: The study is novel for reporting, for the first time, the post-farmer-herder conflict behavior of farmers in Nigeria.