Conflict of Survival Between Fulani Pastoralists and Farmers in the Wake of Climate Change Nigeria

The ongoing conflict between herders and farmers, which has resulted in severe violence, poses a serious threat to the country's human security and development. Farmer-herder conflicts have resulted in attacks and reprisals. While the farmers are striving to safeguard their lands as violence intensifies, the herders are turning to violent tactics to defend their animals while grazing. The paper is qualitative relying on secondary sources of data. The paper is anchored on eco-violence theory and resource access theory. It argues that Nigeria is currently on the verge of anarchy, chaos, and collapse. This is because the conflict between herders and farmers is increasing geometrically. The paper posits that the herder-farmer crises have not only had a direct impact on the lives or livelihoods of those involved, but they have also disrupted and threatened the sustainability of agricultural and pastoral production, and thus the sustainability of rural communities livelihoods. It notes that climate change is one of the root causes of this conflict. No doubt, the Nigerian government has tried different policy initiatives to lessen the recurrence of this conflict and its accompanying effects with little or no success at various times. The paper concludes that the conflict between herders and farmers is without a doubt one of the country's major challenges. Achieving long-term national development requires the ability to prevent and manage violent divisions, conflicts, and wars, including farmer-herder conflicts. It suggests among others that there is a need for the governments at different levels to take an integrated approach that promotes peaceful coexistence among crop farmers, pastoralists, herders, and their host communities.