Assessment of Farmers-Herders Conflict and Food Security in Benue State

Over the past decade, the intensity of the farmers-herders conflict has notably increased in Nigeria's middle belt and southern zones, posing a significant threat to the nation's food security and overall stability. The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) report in 2016 identified it as the single most widely spread peace and security threat in Nigeria. Benue State has an economy that is driven by agriculture and it produces large quantities of farm produce. Sadly, sustained crisis in the State continue to impact its agricultural sector, making it difficult to achieve food security. Consequently, this paper examined the impact of farmers-herders conflict on food security in Benue State. The paper was guided by two research questions. These include: How has the loss of lives due to the farmers-herders conflict undermined crop production in Benue State? How has the forced displacement of farmers and herders undermined food availability in Benue State? To analyze the issues raised, the paper was anchored on the eco-security theory. The estimated population of the study area is 446,000 persons. The paper adopted a mixed-methods approach combining both qualitative and quantitative methods. From the population of the study, a sample size of 600 respondents was drawn using a purposive sampling technique based on the expertise, knowledge and familiarity of the relevant stakeholders with the subject matter and study area. Semi-structured interview and questionnaire instruments were used to generate primary data while secondary data was sourced from relevant literature. Based on the findings of the paper, we recommend that the government should strengthen security in farming areas by deploying more security personnel and establishing community-based early warning systems to prevent attacks.