Effects of Farmer-Herder Conflicts on Rural Households Food Security in Gombe State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined the effects of farmer-herder conflicts on rural households’ food security in Gombe State, Nigeria. Primary data were collected using structured questionnaire and focus group discussion among 118 farmers and 112 herders. Percentage, tobit and logit regression models were used in analysing the data. The result showed that, household size and education, farm size and cattle route encroachment were the major causes of the conflict. In addition, killing of stray cattle, population growth, rape and sexual harassment were all responsible to farmer-herder conflict with different marginal effects. The study revealed 59.3% of the farmers and 31.3% of the herders, had food insecure with moderate hunger, while 43.7% of the farmers and 66.1% of the