Herdsmen-Farmers Crisis and its Implication on Human Resource Management: The Nigeria Experience

Abstract

The threat that herdsmen-farmers clash pose to human resource management is of numerous dimensions; ranging from displacement of workforce from kidnapping prone areas, threat to the firm’s ability to attract diverse workforce in terms of gender and race, reduction in the pools from which prospective employees can be drawn, to disabilities of human resources arising from injuries sustained from clashes. Within literatures, few studies have been done to examine the implication of herdsmen-farmers crisis on human resource management. This paper examined the incessant killings and all sorts of violent attacks on lives and property by herdsmen in Nigeria and its implication on human resource management. Secondary source of data was used for this work. The findings from the study revealed that competition for land resources, climate change, among others are at the center of the crisis. This paper recommends improvement in the road infrastructure, so that attack scene can be easily reached for quick rescue of victims of attacks, collaborative efforts of government, traditional rulers and the local communities towards curbing the menace, unhealthy rivalry between security agencies should be curbed, so as to enhance collaboration and results, involvement of herdsmen and farmers representative in decision making towards curbing the menace, National Orientation Agency should aggressively campaign for peaceful coexistence, tolerance and accommodation among the citizens irrespective of diversity, and establishment of suitable cattle ranching reserves.