Nomads against Natives: A Political Ecology of Herder/Farmer Conflicts in Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

This paper seeks to explore the herder/farmer conflicts in Nasarawa State, Nigeria, with a view to situating its nature, causes, dynamics, effects and implications. By way of qualitative analysis of primary and secondary sources, anchored on the political ecology perspective, the paper posits the conflicts have been informed by the desperate struggle for competitive survival and subsistence in an environment characterized by ecological scarcity and livelihood insecurity. The paper observes that the situation has been exacerbated by the phenomenon of climate change, whose dynamics tend to have been aggravating natural resource conflicts across the world. The paper submits that the conflict situation under review portends negatively for sustainable societal progress, nay national security in Nigeria.