Socioeconomic impacts of farmer-herder conflicts on livelihoods and agricultural sustainability in the Ashanti Region of Ghana

One area that has not caught the attention of researchers is the socioeconomic impacts of the over three-decade-long farmer-herder conflicts on livelihoods and agricultural sustainability in Ghana, which is the focus of this paper. The study was conducted in the Ashanti region using mainly interviews and focus group discussions. The study is also based on the theory of social conflict to analyze the data. Agricultural productivity has declined due to damage to farm infrastructure and loss of agricultural assets, leading to food insecurity. Displacement of communities, loss of livelihood opportunities, and widening gaps in access to health and education are recorded. The paper proposes the use of drone technology to locate the entry points of the herders for easier monitoring and control. Local stakeholders such as chiefs, butchers, and hunters can also provide information about the location of the illegal herders. Key words: Conflicts, socioeconomic, farmer-herder, livelihoods, agricultural sustainability.