Published in Scientific Papers. Series "Management, Economic Engineering in Agriculture and rural development", Vol. 17 ISSUE 1
Written by Ibrahim S. USMAN, U.M BAKARI, Aliyu ABDULLAHI

The study analyzed crop farmers and herdsmen conflicts in Girei Local Government Area, Adamawa State, Nigeria. Purposive and random sampling techniques were used to select two out of ten wards in the Local Government Area and 96 (crop farmers = 64, herdsmen = 32) respondents respectively. A questionnaire was used to collect information from respondents. The results from the study revealed that 62.5% of the respondents were below the age of 50 years the two groups exhibited differing occupational characteristics; most farmers (62.5%) were small-scale operators (1-3 hectares), most herdsmen (81.2%) operated on a relatively higher scale (more than 60 heads of cattle). Destruction of crops and crop residues by cattle and burning of rangelands and blockage of stock routes by crop farmers were the major causes of conflict. Repercussions of conflicts included loss of income (100.0%), loss of yield (100.0%) and stored product (64.0%) among crop farmers. Herdsmen reported minimal losses of their income (40.6%), yield (46.9%) and stored product (53.1%). Conflict also exacerbates insecurity, loss of quality support, self esteem, social support and food crisis particularly in rural communities with repercussions nationwide. Respondents suggested that: traditional and local leaders should be well involved in finding lasting solutions to conflict and factors of conflicts must be properly managed by institutions involved in the conflict resolutions. It is recommended that herdsmen should be made to keep to the agreed grazing reserve and routes and farmers should avoid farming across cattle routes and grazing reserve. Structures must be created by the communities to generate networks and feedback to ensure that people relate amicably for common use of resources.

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