The Crises Between Herdsmen and Farmers; A Case Studies of Benue State 2015-2017
Chapter One
Objectives of the Study
The broad objective of the study was to analyse the causes of farmer-herder conflicts and the roles played by institutions towards the resolution of the conflicts in Benue State.
The specific objectives of the study were to:
- describe the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents in the study areas;
- examine the factors responsible for the crises between farmers and herdsmen in the State;
- examine the institutions involved in the management and resolution of the crises between farmers and Fulani herders in the study area, and
- identify and describe the types of conflict resolution mechanisms employed by these
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Ethnographic Background to Pastoralism in Nigeria
Antonio and Silvia (2009) described Pastoralists as people who live mostly in dry, remote areas. Their livelihoods depend on their intimate knowledge of the surrounding ecosystem and on the well-being of their livestock. According to them, pastoral systems take many forms and are adapted to particular natural, political and economic environment, and the key feature qualifying pastoralism is Mobility. The term nomadic is used when mobility is high and in irregular patterns; transhumant when there are regular back-and-forth movements between relatively fixed locations; and sedentary for the rest.
Pastoralists are people who derive more than 50 per cent of their incomes from livestock and livestock products. Although the livelihoods of these communities are vulnerable to climate change, shifting global markets, population growth and increased competition for land and other natural resources, pastoralism remains a viable natural resource management system, and understating its rationale, importance and dynamics is a key element in efforts to reduce poverty (Antonio and Silvia, 2009).
According to Blench (2010) the Fulbe (another name for the Fulani) and the arable farmers among whom they move, have an interdependent relationship based on the exchange of dairy products for grain, and a market for the animals that must be periodically sold to provide cash for domestic purposes, such as cloth or marriage payments. Moreover, in many regions, Fulbe management strategies depend on access to cereal crop residues -something arable farmers permit because of the perceived advantages of manure as fertilizer.
However Blench (2010) stressed that, in no case the goods or services the pastoralist has to offer essential to the farming community, and therefore the pastoralist is obliged to remain on good terms with farmers if he wishes to continue to exploit the same locale in successive years. If Fulbe herders are unable to build up exchange relations with the farming communities, they can only survive by becoming sedentary, by flexible movement patterns that involve exploiting new arable communities every year, or by intimidation of the farmers. All of these strategies can be observed in operation in Nigeria, sometimes practiced simultaneously by different Fulbe subgroups.
The Fulani or Fulbe indisputably represent a significant component of the Nigerian economy. They constitute the major breeders of cattle, the main source of meat, the most available and cheap source of animal proteins consumed by Nigerians (Eniola, 2007). The major source of animal protein is the cattle which are in the hands of Pastoral Fulani‟s (Ajala, 2000).
The fact that the Savannah zones of Nigeria have abundance of grasses and forages and also the absence of the deadly cattle disease called Trypanosomiasis make the zone conducive for rearing cattle (Ibrahim et al., 2014).
Cattle Herding System
Having raised livestock for centuries, the Fulani have evolved a herding system that withstands time, weather, social change, and government intervention. The movement of the Fulani over the years has led to a pastoral calendar in which the location and the grazing habits of the Fulani can be predicted (Iro, 1994).
The name Fulani has become synonymous with grazing and cattle ownership. The Fulbeness, pulaaku, is determined by the extent of Fulani involvement in herding. The primary occupation of the Fulani is herding, followed by farming. Less than a tenth of the Fulani have jobs other than herding or farming. Non-herding jobs are seasonal and opportunistic. For example, during the wet-season, the Fulani take advantage of the abundant rain and manure to plant corn, millet, sorghum, and home gardens in their backyards (Iro, 1994).
Describing the annual herding cycle of the Fulani, Iro (1994) stated that the herding season begins with southward movement of the herds along rivers and stream valleys from October to December – marking the end of rainy season and beginning of dry season. January to February is the harmattan season that is characterized by longer grazing hours, herd splitting, and more frequent visits to stable water sources.The months of March and April are usually the toughest for the herdsman and his cattle, as it is the hottest period in the grazing calendar. Indeed, he now herds his cattle only in the evenings and nights (Iro, 1994).
May and June signify the end of dry season and vegetation begins to appear. This also marks the beginning of northward movement of cattle herds. From this period up till September, which is the peak of rainy season, though characterized by cattle breeding, more milk production and shorter grazing hours, cattle herding coincides significantly with arable crop production. Farmer-herdsmen conflict therefore becomes prevalent during this period (Iro, 1994).
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
Sampling Procedure and Sample Size
The target populations for this study are the herdsmen and farmers. A multi- stage sampling was used to select the respondents of this study. The first stage involved the purposive selection of three Local Government Areas, one from each of the three senatorial zones. This selection was based on the frequency of occurrence of farmer- herder conflict in the state. These Local Government Areas selected has recorded frequent clashes between herders and farmers. They are: Faskari in the South, Mai‟Adua from the North and Kaita from the Central senatorial zones.
The second stage involved purposive sampling of 3 villages (farming communities) from each of the 3 selected Local Government Areas, also based on the frequency of occurrence, making a total of 9 villages. In the case of the herders, due to the nature of their settlement pattern and economic activities, their grazing places, markets and their extended family settlements (Rugage) were detected. A total of 21 farmers and 21 herdsmen from each of the 3 Local Government areas were chosen using the snowball sampling method, thus given a total of 63 farmers and 63 herdsmen. The snowball method was used by identifying one respondent that helps the researcher to identify the other, on and on. In all, 126 respondents were selected for enumeration by use of structured interview.
Sources of Data Collection
Data for the study were collected from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data were collected using 126 structured interview schedules with the aid of properly trained enumerators and translators to generate data for the study. Focus Group Discussion (FCD) were conducted with separate groups to corroborate the findings from the quantitative result. Data for the study were collected in 2015. Information collected included those based on the socio-economic characteristics of the herdsmen and the cattle farmers, causes of the conflicts, institutions involved in managing conflicts and mechanisms employed by these institutions in managing the conflict among others. Respondents for the study included farmers and herdsmen. The selection of these herders was assisted by the list of herdsmen given by the Benue Agricultural Development Project (Table 3.1). About 10% of the sampling frame of the herders was randomly selected, also equal numbers of the farmers in the same Local Government Areas were selected giving a total of 126 respondents.
CHAPTER FOUR
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
Description of Socioeconomic Characteristics of Crop farmers and Cattle Herders
Sex:The result of the analysis in Table 4.1 indicates that, 60 farmers representing 95.2% of the sampled farmers are males and only 3 representing 4.8% are female. In the case of the herders, all the 63 respondents, representing 100% of the sampled herders are males. This result was consistent with the findings by Adisa (2012) that all respondent herdsmen were males. As evident from the findings, both crop farming and cattle herding seems to be a male dominated enterprise in the surveyarea. This may likely have resulted from the cultural barrier imposed on women as it is being practiced in most parts of the far north where women are restricted from taking certain occupations that are basically considered to belong to males. By implication, the tendency to be involved in conflict is greater in males who are more energetic and therefore regarded as the protectors of every community.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary
The study was conducted in Benue State. In all, 126 respondents (63 farmers and 63cattle herdsmen) were selected for enumeration by use of interview schedule using structured interview schedules in form of questionnaire Focus group discussion was also employed. The data collected were analyzed using mean, frequency counts, percentages, ratings and Likert scale, while logistic regression model was used as inferential statistics.
Major findings of the studies revealed that majority of the farmers are males and only very few are female. In the case of the herders, all the respondents are males. Majority of the farmers were within the age range of 40-49 years, while the largest percentage of the herders cut across 30-39years. Majority of farmers and of herdsmen interviewed had no formal education at all. More than three quarter of both farmers and herders are married. Most of the herders keep a herd size of less than 60 cattle due to activities of cattle rustlers.12% within the range of 60-99, while only 12.7% maintain morethan 100.
Result from the logit regression analysis indicates that only 3 out of 10 causal variables of farmer-herder conflict have significant relationship as factors responsible for the conflict in the study area. These are crop damage by cattle (3.165), land encroachment (2.175) and inadequate grazing reserves (3.444).
All the respondents interviewed identify traditional rulers, police and Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) as major arbitrators of farmer- herder conflict, which are also more effective in handling the conflict in the study area. On methods of conflict resolution commonly employed, amicable resolution was identified as the most popular, followed by verbal warning.
Conclusion
From the findings, socioeconomic variable such as age has significant implication on the conflict. This is because of the fact that farming and rearing of animal are predominantly carried out by middle aged people within the range of 30-50 years, who are energetic and therefore more willing to participate in violent conflict than the elderly persons. Also, a very low level of formal education is peculiar to the respondents, which is not a healthy situation with regard to the conflict; this is because educated people are more likely to bring better understanding to issues than uneducated people. Despite the importance of education, many of the respondents have not embraced it. The major immediate causes of the conflict are crop damage and land encroachment. Cultivation of crops was extended into grazing reserves and cattle routes, while crops are being eaten and destroyed by cattle. This is an issue that has consistently been in the forefront of most of the farmer-herder conflicts. Each party blaming the other, but the reality is that, land has been under pressure as a result of increase in population coupled with the problem aggravated by poor land tenure administration. As such, farmers view cattle tracts and grazing reserves as lands not possessed by anyone and can therefore be freely encroached. The herder on the other hand, has the believe that feeding his cattle at whatever circumstances is a superior and uncompromising right given to him by nature. One of the major threats to peaceful coexistence according to findings from group discussion with some traditional rulers is the damage caused by the influx of Udawa and Bukoloji herdsmen, who usually comes through Niger/Nigeria border. These types of herders do not recognize the existence of any boundary in terms of their grazing and they come in hundreds and are usually fully armed with modern guns. They move with thousands of cattle sparing no farm. At the same time, a mix of weather- related factors has pushed farmers to cultivate more land each year, leaving the herders fewer places to water and graze their stock. The resulting contests have been responsible for the deaths of several hundred Nigerians. This calls for urgent attention. It is therefore, important for government at all levels to put more machinery on ground to encourage climate change adaptation and mitigation. Also, Nigeria as a country should invest more in combating crimes and also research should be enhanced to combat desert encroachment, which in the long run may reduce the north-south movement of the herders.
The Traditional rulers played a significant role in the management of herder-farmer conflict, but the abolishing of native authority followed by the establishment of 1978 land use act that vested the authority over land to government, has limit their effort in this regard.
Recommendations
The following recommendations are suggested for proper conflict resolutions between herdsmen and the farmers:
- Formal education for both the herders and the farmers should be encouraged through sensitization using individual and mass communication with the aid of extension agents and radio programmes respectively. Also nomadic education and vocational training schools should be strengthened to perform
- There should be enhanced public information and education on the need to respect the law with regard to restricted areas such as grazing and forest
- Government at all levels should explore better involvement of indigenous resource user groups in policies relating to natural resource management and
- Survey, demarcation, beaconing and gazetting of the government owned grazing reserves and cattle routes, to reduce pressure on the already overstretched reserves.
- Indiscriminate burning of rangelands and forest reserves should be controlled through sensitization campaigns by Non-Governmental Organizations and environmentalists, while government sanctions erring
- Governments and communities should jointly cooperate to improve the security situation around the villages with a view to tackling the menace of cattle
- The National Assembly should amend the existing Land use policy so as to afford the herders a more balanced recognition in terms of land ownership, usage and control. This may encourage the herders to accept the sedentary
- Farmers and herders should form more cooperatives and associations that can represent their interest and enable them speak as a group. This may reduce the frequency of „jungle justice‟ by seeking redress from relevant authority whenever dispute arose.
- The option of sedentarization of the herders in order to control the frequency of their North-South movement should be fully explored. This can be done in collaboration with traditional rulers and the herderds‟ famous Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) which the herders have so much faith
- Increased international border patrol during the dry season in order to obtain information on the influx of Udawa and Bukoloji herders from the neighbouring countries especially Niger Republic. This will enable the authority to take a proactive decision on how to prevent violent confrontation.
Contribution to Knowledge
- Most of the herders were found to keep cattle herd of less than 60 cattle due to activities of cattle rustlers while only 7% maintain more than 100 who use extra vigilance to ensure security of the herds.
- The study also found that 3 variables were the factors responsible for the cause of conflict in the study area. These are crop damage by cattle (3.165, p>0.01), land encroachment (2.175,p>0.01) and inadequate grazing reserves (3.444, p>0.01).
- The study also indicates that 100% of all the respondents, both the farmers and the herders acknowledge the involvement of traditional rulers, police and Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in conflict management and resolution in the area.
References
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