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EFFECT OF
FULANI-HERDSMEN AND FARMERS CRISIS ON FOOD SECURITY
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The Fula
people also known as Fulani in Hausalanguage, are a mass population widely
dispersed and culturally diverse in all of Africa, but most predominant in West
Africa. The Fulani’s generally speak the Fula language. A significant number of
them are nomadic in nature, herding cattle, goats and sheep across the vast dry
grass lands of their environment, keeping isolate from the local farming
communities, making them the world’s largest pastoral nomadic group (Eyekpimi,
2016). They are massively spread over many countries, and are found mainly in
West Africa and northern parts of Central Africa, but also in Sudan and Egypt.
The main Fulani sub-groups in Nigeria are: Fulbe Adamawa, Fulbe Mbororo, Fulbe
Sokoto, Fulbe Gombe, and the Fulbe Borgu (Eyekpimi, 2016).
Nigeria as a
nation state is under a severe internal socio-economic and security threat. At
a more general level, the threat has special economic, political and
environmental dimensions. Each of these dimensions has greatly affected the
nation’s stability and can be traced to the Fulani-herdsmen and farmers clash,
ethnic militant armies, ethnic and religious conflicts, poverty, insurgency,
armed robbery, corruption, economic sabotage and environmental degradation
(Damba, 2007).
Food
security is a condition related to the supply of food, and individuals' access
to it. Concerns over food security have existed throughout history. There is
evidence of Granaries being in use over 10,000 years ago, with central
authorities in civilizations including ancient China and ancient Egypt being
known to release food from storage in times of famine (Illufoye, 2009). At the
1974 World Food Conference the term "food security" was defined with
an emphasis on supply. Food security, they said, is the "availability at
all times of adequate world food supplies of basic foodstuffs to sustain a
steady expansion of food consumption and to offset fluctuations in production
and prices" (United Nations, 2013). Later definitions added demand and
access issues to the definition. The final report of the 1996 World Food Summit
states that food security "exists when all people, at all times, have
physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet
their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life"
(United Nations, 2015).
Household
food security exists when all members, at all times, have access to enough food
for an active, healthy life (USDA, 2008). Individuals who are food secure do
not live in hunger or fear of starvation (FAO, 2006). Food insecurity, on the
other hand, is a situation of "limited or uncertain availability of
nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to
acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways", according to the
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) (2008). Food security
incorporates a measure of resilience to future disruption or unavailability of
critical food supply due to various risk factors including droughts, shipping
disruptions, fuel shortages, economic instability and wars (Boeing, 2016). In
the years 2011-2017 (FAO, 2017), an estimated 842 million people were suffering
from chronic hunger (FAO, 2017). The Food and Agriculture Organiation of the
United Nations, or FAO, identified the four pillars of food security as availability,
access, utilization, and stability (FAO, 2009). The United Nations (UN)
recognized the Right to Food in the Declaration of Human Rights in 1948,
(United Nations, 2015) and has since noted that it is vital for the enjoyment
of all other rights (United Nations, 2015).
Violent
conflict and crisis in Nigeria, like other parts of the world, have created a
rift in human relations, caused serious threat to food security, among many
other effects (Basil, 2015). Crisis is inevitable as long as we live together,
especially in a multi-ethnic, cultural and religious community like Nigeria.
However violence leaves us with various forms of retardation and
underdevelopment resulting from the destruction of lives, farmland and
property. The menaces of violent crisis conflict have been on the increase in
some most Nigerian cities in the last two decades (Ilufoye, 2009). Most of
these conflicts are generally regarded as ethno-religious bigotry and
antagonism.
According to
Kassam (2014) and Basil (2015), the conflicts in most part of Nigeria
especially the Fulani herdsmen and farmers clash are largely uncalled for.
Farmers can no longer farm peacefully because of Fulani herdsmen. These Fulani
herdsmen and farmers clash have pitched Christians and Muslims against each
other. The conflict has had devastating effects on inter-group relationships
especially in Nasarawa Egor in Nasarawa State and Agatu L.G.A of Benue State.
Apart from the loss of lives, farmlands, food produce and property, it has
profound influence on residential relationships, leading to new trends in the
polarization of communities. This is evident in a physical manifestation of
mono religious areas in Nasarawa and Benue States, with Christians and Muslims
living in dominant religious clusters(Eyekpemi, 2016).
Recent
studies conducted by Basil (2015) and Ekpeyemi (2016) have shown that, serious
conflict erupt between Fulani herdsmen and farmers leading to loss of lives,
valuable properties and destruction of vast expanse of arable agricultural
farmlands thereby posing serious threat to food security since farmers for fear
of attack could no longer go to farm and harvest their farm produce. The recent
attacks by Fulani herdsmen is on the increase, with the most recent attacks in
June 2016 occurring in Ossissa community in Ndokwa East and Abraka community in
Ethiope East Local Government Areas of Delta State and three more communities
(Ugondo, Turan, Gabo Nenzev) in Logo Local Government Area, Benue State, total
killings involving no fewer than 60 persons (Ekpeyemi, 2016). The Federal
Government recently ordered an inquiry, military crackdown on the group and
affirmed its plans to establish cattle ranches as a solution to the frequent
clashes between Fulani herdsmen and farmers in Nigeria (Basil, 2015). In recent
times, the killings recorded by Fulani herdsmen and farmers clash has rampaged
most communities displacing them of their farmlands and loss of their major
source of livelihood. This is becoming unbearable with the Fulani herdsmen
always having their ways leaving the farmers at their mercy. Farmers now go to
farm armed with weapons for defense in case of attack (Ekpeyemi, 2016).
Recently,
several deaths and casualties have been recorded in series of clash between
Fulnai herdsmen and farmers. Most people attribute the clash between Fulani
Herdsmen and Farmers to religious differences between the Muslims or Islam’s
and the Christians(Basil, 2015). Several farmlands have been destroyed due to
conflict erupting between farmers and herdsmen. Herdsmen attribute the roots of
the crisis to religious differences resulting in the killing of their cows
while the farmers see the herdsmen as a threat to their crops and agricultural
produce since the herdsmen allow their cows to feed on the farmer crops.
Evidences have shown that herdsmen and farmers clash in several parts of
Nigeria especially in the Nassarawa, Delta, Edo, and Benue states could be due
to differences in religious background between the herdsmen and farmers.
Several lives and farmlands been destroyed in this crisis (Ekpeyemi, 2016).
Recently, in Abraka Fulani herdsmen attacked farmers at the farm and claimed
one life which prompted the indigenes of Abraka to riot. It was due to this
saga that the Ovie of Abraka Kingdom (HRM Akpomedaye Majoroh II) declared state
of emergency on the 23rd of April, 2017 on the Fulani herdsmen and farmers
clash in a bid to restore peace to the community. It is against this background
that this study is conducted to investigate the effects of Fulani
herdsmen-farmers crisis on food security in Abraka region.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Nigeria is
seriously threatened by Fulani herdsmen and farmers crisis and therefore,
considered to be a major potential threat affecting Nigerians mostly on the
part of socio-economic activities of the country (Egodi, 2010). The Fulani
herdsmen and farmers crisis is posing a serious obstacle to a successful
national economy. Fulani herdsmen and farmers has become a major threat to the
national security and development of Nigeria due to the fact that its increased
operation has caused diversion and removed government attention on some key
areas of the economy, as huge amount of human and material resources are
channeled into curbing the menace (Egodi, 2010).
Conflict is
a great predicament in any human society, and most times, it is predictable. In
fact, history indicates that conflict is an on-going process in human relations
and may occur within and among groups and communities. In the case of Nigeria,
the frequent occurrence of Fulani herdsmen and farmers crisis has left adverse
effects on food security and socio-economic development of the people (Damba,
2007). In the course of these conflicts, farmers have at certain times, taken
up weapons to counter the attacks from the Fulani herdsmen, claiming to do so
in self-defense. The study conducted by Kassam (2016) gave an overview of the
general concept and causes of conflicts in Nigeria and, advocates for ethical
principles such as the common solidarity of humanity by origin, forgiveness and
tolerance that could engender cordiality and understanding rather than
sustained hostility and suspicion in Fulani herdsmen and farmers relation in
Nigeria.
Fulani
herdsmen and farmers crisis no doubt have negative impact on the lives,
property, food security and educational development in Nigeria. Though, there
is the dearth of quantitative evaluation of the catastrophic attacks, available
statistics has it that between June 2015 to December, 2016 Human Rights Watch
in 2017, reported a total death toll of 65 persons in more than 24 attacks. It
was also reported that an estimate of 50 people were killed in Nasarawa Egor
(Nasarawa State) and Agatu/Logo (Benue State) in the June 2016 and recently
lives were claimed in Abraka in the April 23rd 2017 crisis between Fulani
herdsmen and farmers. Fulani herdsmen attack apart from the loss of lives has
also led to the destruction of arable farmland and valuable properties worth
several billions of naira.
The above
scenario has dire consequences for sustainable and educational development in
the regions of attack in particular and Nigeria in general. In the regions
where the Fulani herdsmen and farmers crisis is pervasive and the property
destroyed potentially and in real terms, drag their economic fortune back by several
steps. Besides the property destroyed, economic life in those regions is
automatically grounded to a halt. People are no longer free to go about their
farming, economic and educational activities for fear of being killed. This is
made worse as several thousands of people have migrated swiftly to other parts
of Nigeria. The overall implication for sustainable development is that the
farming, economic and educational activities are fast deteriorating. The
murderous campaigns and vicious onslaughts on individuals and institutions
provide highly unfavorable business environment for internal and foreign
investment, which is a major factor in the achievement of sustainable
development (Damba, 2007).
Another
major problem posed by Fulani and herdsmen and farmers clash is that farming
activities in some parts of Nigeria has been put to a halt. Farmers within this
region find it hard to go to their farms as well as to get enough food crops to
the market thereby, increasing price of commodity in the market. The government
has spent huge amount of money on the renovation of buildings, and
infrastructures that has been destroyed by these religious conflicts. Also,
huge amount of funds from the country’s budget has been spent on the
compensation of families who have lost their loved ones to the Fulani-herdsmen
and farmers crisis. Also, huge amount of money is being spent on the
acquisition weapons, ammunition in other to equip the military to handle the
situation on ground. All these have affected Nigeria’s economy.
Again, in
Abraka the recent Fulani-herdsmen and farmers clash which took place on 23rd
April, 2017 at Abraka reserve have caused serious damage to farmlands, claimed
life and disrupt the socio-economic activities of the people of people leading
to increase in the price of food items and commodities. Problems emanated from
fear of Fulani herdsmen since people can no longer go to farms and walk at
night. This has disrupted the peaceful coexistence of the Hausa people and
indigenes of Abraka community. All these have form the basis for the problem
stated in this study, and this research work focuses on the effects of Fulani
herdsmen-farmers crisis on food security in Abraka region.
1.3 AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The aim of
this study is to examine the effects of Fulani herdsmen-farmers crisis on food
security in Abraka region. The specific objectives include to;
1. examine the causes of Fulani herdsmen and
farmers crisis in Abraka region;
2. ascertain the level of awareness of Abraka
people on issues relating to food security in the area;
3. examine the level of food availability and
accessibility as a result of Fulani herdsmen and farmers crisis in Abraka
region;
4. evaluate the effect of Fulani herdsmen and
farmers crisis on food security in Abraka region;
5. discuss the management options of the
Fulani herdsmen and farmers crisis as it affects food security in Abraka.
1.4 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
The
following research hypotheses were tested in this study;
1. The crises between Fulani-herdsmen and
farmers is not significantly depended on grazing of crops, depletion of
vegetation in the north and harsh climate.
2. The crisis between Fulani herdsmen and
farmers has no significant effect on food security in Abraka region.
3. There is no significant difference in the
level of awareness of the people on issues relating to food security in Abraka
region.
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study
is basically produced to fulfill an academic requirement. Nevertheless, it is
hoped that it would go a long way to encourage more meaningful development
efforts on issues relating to the effects of Fulani herdsmen-farmers crisis on
food security in Abraka region.
This study
is not intended to break an entire new ground, rather, it is undertaken in the
premise that it will add to the existing literature in the area of geography.
In addition this study is very necessary especially at this point of Nigeria’s
development, when there is massive increase in the need to map and study the
infrastructural development of an area.
This work is
expected to guide geographers, educationists, scientists, planners, engineers,
architects, environmentalists, etc, and all those whose livelihood are affected
to gain understanding of how Fulani herdsmen-farmers crisis can affect food
security. However, the findings will also provide useful background information
to future research in the contribution of geography education towards nation
building.
1.6 STUDY AREA
1.6.1 Location and Size
Abraka lies
approximately on latitude 050 481 North of the equator and on longitude 06o 061
east of the Greenwich meridian. It is situated at the Eastern Bank of River
Ethiope in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State in the Niger Delta
zone of Southern Nigeria. It is bounded to the North by Orhionwon Local
Government Area of Edo State, and to the East and South by Ukwani Local
Government Area and the Ughelli North Local Government Area respectively and
lastly, the Ika Local Government Area bounds her western boundary. The region
of Abraka has a total land area of 21.2 square kilometer (Akinbode and Ugbomeh,
2006).
The
boundary, size and location of Abraka is such that favours cattle grazing and
farm practices at the same time. This has prompted Fulani herdsmen to migrate
from the north to Abraka for cattle grazing which has in turn resulted to
serious clash between herdsmen and farmers in various quarters that make up
Abraka clan. This crisis in recent times has led to increase in food items and
food insecurity in Abraka.
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