ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACT OF PASTORALISM IN TWO SELECTED LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS OF KOGI STATE, NIGERIA.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Conflicts arising from utilization of natural resources among crop farmers and pastoralists have escalated in recent times in Nigeria. This study assessed environmental and social impacts of pastoralism in two selected Local Government Areas of Kogi State, Nigeria. A two-stage sampling technique was employed to draw the sample for the survey. The first stage involved a purposive selection of four villages (Agbenema, Ajichekpa, Iyano and Opada) representing two Local Government Areas where pastoralists and farmers conflicts are prevalent. The second stage involved a snow-ball selection of 30 farmers and 10 pastoralists from each village. In total, 144 respondents were interviewed using structured questionnaire. Relative importance index (RII) was used to measure the magnitude of causes of the conflict, socio-psychological consequences of conflicts on rural livelihoods and the mitigation strategies associated with the management of the farmer-herder conflict. Plants were classified into various palatability classes by daily monitoring individual animal’s grazing preferences of different plant species, parts and condition for two successive years. The standard methods recommended by the American Public Health Association were adopted for determination of physical and chemical parameters of water. These parameters were pH, temperature, electrical conductivity (EC), total hardness (TH), total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS), dissolved oxygen (DO), biological oxygen demand (BOD), including heavy metals like; iron (Fe), nickel (Ni) and lead (Pb). Data were analyzed using descriptive (mean and standard deviation) and inferential (ANOVA) statistics using Statistical Analysis System version 9.0 portable. Means were separated with Duncan Multiple Range Test. Results revealed that causes of conflicts between farmers and pastoralists were crop destruction by cattle (RII =3.7), little respect for traditional rulers (RII =3.5) and contamination of stream by cattle (RII =3.4). Consequences of farmer-herder conflicts were sleepless nights (RII =3.14), feelings of fear and anxiety (RII =3.07), reductions in farm income (RII =2.9), reduction in crop yields (RII =2.6), incidence of death (RII =2.6) and farm destruction (RII =2.60). The effective strategies for conflict resolutions were dialogue between parties involved (RII =2.77), prayed for peace (RII =2.57) and intervention by traditional rulers (RII =2.53). Analysis of the palatability of plant species to grazing animals was shaped by a range of factors including the type of animal, seasonal fluctuations, habitat characteristics, and prevailing weather conditions. Physical and chemical analyses of water sampled from the study locations indicated values within the world health organization acceptable limits. There were significant (p < 0.05) spatial and seasonal variations in the physical and chemical parameters of the water. Heavy metals concentrations were mostly below detection limit, except for Pb with higher values during the wet season. Correlation coefficient showed significant (p < 0.05) positive correlation between temperature and pH (r = 0.877), temperature and TSS (r = 0.748), EC and TSS (r = 0.850), and DO and BOD (r = 0.768) in both dry and wet seasons. This study showed that the conflicts between crop farmers and pastoralists negatively impacted various aspects of rural livelihoods, vegetations and river water in Kogi State.