Impact of insecurity and insurgency on the livelihood status of livestock farmers in North Central States, Nigeria

Abstract

This study assessed the impact of insecurity and insurgency on the livelihood status of livestock farmers in North Central States, Nigeria. The States selected for the study were Benue, Kwara and Niger, including the Federal Capital Territory. The respondents of the study were 3285 livestock farmers which were sampled through multistaged sampling technique. The study’s objectives and hypotheses were respectively analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics (t-test and Chi-test statistics). As revealed by the results, majority (84.80%) of the respondents have not received any form of training on livestock farming, all the farmers farming activities were affected by insecurity and this consequently affected their livelihood status to a very high extent (82.28%) and poverty level 
which was average (70.99%) and very high (85.08%) before and after incidence of insecurity respectively . Insecurity/insurgency significantly and negatively affected livestock farming activities since average income earned before and after insecurity/insurgency was 224,764 and 76,736 respectively. The farmers were challenged by insurgency, banditry, conflict (mean = 4.00), poor capital base for farmers to be meeting up with group’s activities (mean = 3.64), lack of government assistance (mean = 3.52) among others. These challenges have in no little measure contributed to the fall in income of the farmers. Hypothesis one revealed significant difference existed in income earned by farmers before and after incidence of insecurity/insurgency in North Central States, Nigeria, while the second one revealed that insecurity/insurgency has significantly affected the livelihood status of the livestock farmers. The study recommended that government needs to do her best to curb and forever keep the insurgents under control so that farmers can begin to do better in their production and as well earn better income to cushion the effect of poverty plaguing them