Pastoralists’ Perception of Resource-use Conflicts as a Challenge to Livestock Development and Animal Agriculture in Southeast, Nigeria Pastoralists’ Perception of Resource-use Conflicts as a Challenge to Livestock Development and Animal Agriculture in Southeast, Nigeria

Abstract

One of the major but hidden challenges to livestock development and animal agriculture in the world
over is resource-use conflicts between crop farmers, pastoralists, and other land users. This is so because
during conflict situation, almost all human livelihood activities come to a standstill including livestock
farming. This study, therefore, sought to examine how conflicts involving different land users hinder
livestock production. Questionnaire and oral interview were used to obtain information from a total of
120 pastoralists in three selected states of Southeast (Abia, Enugu, and Imo). Data were analyzed using
percentages, mean, and standard deviation. The results showed that the mean age of pastoralists was 38,
and the mean household size was 10, mean herding experience was 18. The following were the causes
of resource-use conflicts – blocking of water sources by crop farmers with a mean (M) response of 3.30,
farming across cattle routes (M=2.95), burning of fields (M=3.30), and theft/stealing of cattle (M=3.40),
among others. The factors attracting the pastoralists to the study area were availability of special pasture
(M=2.37), availability of land for lease (M=2.52), and water availability (M=2.60) among other reasons.
Conflicts, therefore, affect livestock production in the following ways – unsafe field for grazing, poor
animal health, loss of human and animal lives, abandonment of herds for dear life, and many others.