Causes and Effects of Conflict Between Cattle Herdsmen and Host Community on Food Sustainability in Nigeria

The seasonal southward migration of Fulani herdsmen brings them into contention with indigenous people of the southwestern region for farmland which resulted to conflict. The study was carried out to assess the causes and effects of the conflict between the crop farmers and cattle herdsmen on food sustainability in Nigeria. Specifically, the study identified socio-economic characteristics of respondents, the root causes of the conflicts, its effect on food sustainability and possible solutions to the causes. The study was carried out in some communities in southwestern, Nigeria because of its peculiarity on the conflict that arose between the cattle herdsmen and rural dwellers in the area in 2016. Structured interview schedule was used to elicit information from 148 respondents. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentages, means and standard deviation and inferential statistics such as correlation.. The causes of the conflict were destruction of farm by cattle, cattle rustling and killing of the cattle by the crop farmers. The evil effect of the conflict included loss of income, increase in cost of production, poverty, death, physical deformity and psychological trauma. Consequently, the lost of the means of livelihood in the largely agrarian region as crops are destroyed by animals.. In view of this, paper recommends that all stakeholders meeting needs to be organised in order to fashion out a reliable peace initiatives that will bring a permanent solution to the problems. Grazing reserve should be encouraged for the use of pastoral farming and livestock development.