IMPACT OF FARMER-HERDER CONFLICT ON SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN MANGU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA
Keywords:
Farmers-herders conflict, Agricultural development, Educational development, Socio-economic development, Mangu LGAAbstract
Farmers-herders conflict has become a persistent development challenge in Nigeria’s Middle Belt; however, existing studies largely emphasise its security, with limited empirical attention to its combined effects on both livelihood systems and educational outcomes at the local level. This study therefore examined the impact of farmers-herders conflict on socio-economic development in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, focusing specifically on agricultural productivity and educational development. A cross-sectional survey research design was adopted. A total of 420 respondents were selected through multistage sampling techniques, alongside 10 purposively selected key informants, giving 430 participants. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and interview guides. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and the Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC), while qualitative data were analysed through content analysis. Findings revealed that the conflict significantly reduces agricultural productivity through restricted access to farmlands, destruction of crops, and declining farm investment driven by insecurity. It also disrupts educational development through school closures, teacher displacement, irregular attendance, and trauma among students. The study concludes that farmers-herders conflict undermines both livelihood sustainability and human capital development through direct and indirect mechanisms. It recommends the institutionalization of community-based land-use management systems, the development of localised security and early warning structures, targeted agricultural recovery support, and the implementation of safe-school and psychosocial support programmes to ensure continuity in education in the study area.
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