Threats to Rural Livelihoods in Nigeria: Implications for Social Order and Crisis Management

Abstract

Rural livelihood arrangement in Nigeria is under severe threat and crisis. This is confirmed through this study that relied on the content analysis of 282 newspaper editions. For the sake of reliability, an evidence-based data spread sheet was obtained from 18 states, 486 communities using 24 reporters. The study was anchored on the DFID sustainable rural livelihood model. The objectives include: identifying the threat indicators and their sources; ascertaining the threat outcomes as well as the vulnerable groups and relating outcomes to threat factors; examining the extent of recovery implication during threats and associating threats with social order and security. The objectives were tested using descriptive statistics. Hypotheses were tested, using correlation technique, on the association between: 1) the presence of threat indicators and outcomes, 2) the presence of threat indicators and vulnerability of certain groups. The following findings were made: there is a relationship between the presence of threat factors and outcomes as well as the vulnerability of groups. Flooding of compounds and farms, herdsmen attacks, government impunity, gang violence constitute major threats to rural livelihood. The outcomes are insecurity, food crisis, loss of lives and property, hunger, loss of shelter, forced migration, diseases and suicide. Rural assets have been constrained; early recovery and resilience are poor. It is recommended that: Nigerians should take expert advice on seasonal stressors and government should stop arbitrary splitting of communities. Rural livelihood security programmes should target the women and farmers. Nomadic culture of cattle rearing should give way to ranches, Resilience and early recovery attitude should be encouraged among Nigerians.