Socio-Economic Impact of Insurgency on Livestock Farmers in North Central Nigeria

This study examined the socio-economic impact of insurgency on livestock farming households in the North Central States of Nigeria, with a focus on its contribution to rising poverty levels among farmers. A total of 3,285 respondents were randomly selected from Benue, Kwara, Niger States, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Data were gathered through structured questionnaires and interview schedules and analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics to address the research objectives and test hypotheses. Findings revealed that the average respondent was 35 years old, had a household size of 5, farming experience of 8 years, and had lived in their community for an average of 12 years. Livestock farming was predominantly practiced by married, educated men. The insurgency had severely impacted livestock production levels, with 83.84% of respondents reporting significant declines. This was closely linked to a high perceived poverty level among farmers, recorded at 85.08%. Major challenges included insurgency-related conflicts (mean = 4.00), insufficient capital (mean = 3.64), lack of government support (mean = 3.52) and scarcity of water (mean = 3.38) and, all of which compounded farmers' poverty. Statistical analysis identified key determinants of livestock farmers' income: educational level (β = 6.178), farming experience (β = 1.935), length of residency (β = 3.381), marital status (β = 2.938), age (β = -4.985), and household size (β = 3.249). The calculated Chi-square value (X² = 1617.3) was significantly higher than the tabulated value (X² = 2.706), indicating that insecurity and insurgency had a significant effect on farmers' perceived poverty levels. The study recommended that the government take decisive and sincere action to combat insurgency, enabling farmers to resume and improve their livestock production. Increased security would help boost farmers' incomes and reduce, if not eliminate, their poverty levels.