Climate Change-Induced Herder-Farmer Conflicts: Implications for Food Security, in Ondo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Climate change poses significant threats to environmental stability, livelihoods, and food security, particularly in Nigeria, rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and desertification have intensified resource scarcity, driving conflicts between nomadic herders and sedentary farmers. This study examines climate change–induced herder–farmer conflicts in Ondo State and their impacts on agricultural productivity, food security, and rural livelihoods. The study employed qualitative descriptive design, data were collected through in-depth interviews with 20 stakeholders (7 farmers, 6 government officials, and 7 herders) and analyzed thematically. The findings revealed that prolonged droughts and irregular precipitation patterns force herders southward, leading to farmland encroachment, crop destruction, and violent confrontations. This has resulted in reduced crop yields (e.g., tomatoes and cassava), heightened food prices, widespread displacement, and economic hardship. Also, existing policies, such as anti-open grazing laws and security initiatives like Amotekun, show promise but suffer from weak enforcement and inadequate funding. This study concludes that climate change is a critical underlying driver of herder–farmer conflict in Ondo State, operating through prolonged droughts, irregular rainfall, and environmental degradation that intensify competition over land and water resources. The study recommends integrated interventions, including climate-smart agriculture, designated grazing zones, strengthened security, and community-based peacebuilding, to enhance agricultural productivity, food security, and sustainable rural livelihoods.