Socio-Economic Effects of Pastoralist Activities on Arable Crop Farmers in Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

This study assesses the socio-economic effects of pastoralist activities on arable crop farmers in southwest Nigeria. Using a multistage sampling technique, data were collected from 160 crop farmers and 32 pastoralists through a structured and validated interview schedule and analyzed with descriptive statistics. Consistent with earlier studies on farmer-herder dynamics, respondents were predominantly male, married, and within the productive age range of 40–49 years and average farm and herd sizes typical of smallholder systems. The results reveal that key pastoralist activities such as open grazing, crop trampling, theft for cattle feed, and water contamination significantly disrupt crop production and increase farmers’ operational costs. These disruptions translate into substantial income losses, reinforcing existing evidence that pastoralist incursions undermine rural livelihoods and food security in Nigeria. By providing farm-level economic estimates of revenue losses in maize and cassava production, the study extends current literature, which has largely been descriptive, and offers measurable insights aligned with resource competition and livelihood vulnerability theories. The study recommends stricter implementation of sustainable land management policies, rehabilitation of grazing reserves, and strengthened extension and conflict-mitigation programmes to support peaceful coexistence.