Abstract
The pervasive herdsmen-farmers conflicts in the north-central region of Nigeria have changed the narrative of Nigeria’s enduring ethnic crises to ideologies, which are in-controvertibly sinister. The consequences of this tension, which has defied possible military responses, political, religious and cultural strategies are potentially devastating, not just for Nigeria, but the whole of West African region. Since the particular nature of these conflicts increasingly highlights the significance and inevitability of land resources for crops farming and cattle rearing, it is imperative to create awareness of the elemental nature of soils, especially their diversities in these conflict-prone areas. This study’s objective was to produce a Geographic Information System (GIS) based digital soil map (DSM) of the north-central region of Nigeria, and to delineate soil distribution and unique properties. Based on this study, the DSM offers a quick access to quantitative soil data covering the study area. It indicates that soil mapping units 15d, 18d and 24b are dominant, and constitute about 40% of the local arable lands. The broad pattern of distribution of these soils reflects both the climatic conditions and the geological structure of the region. The soils are highly weathered with limited capacities to supply essential nutrients needed by crop plants. These issues raise a number of questions, most of which focuses on the best possible way to maximize these soils to accommodate both crop farming and cattle rearing. It is our hope that taking the advantage of GIS to stimulate the knowledge and consciousness of soil distribution in the region will place the weight where it is appropriate in terms of food security through crops production and cattle rearing, and hence forge a more realistic pathway to reconciliation and conflict resolution.
Highlights
Conflicts between Fulani herdsmen and sedentary farmers scale up the sources of tension for the Nigerian states in recent times (Folami & Folami, 2013)
It is our hope that taking the advantage of Geographic Information System (GIS) to stimulate the knowledge and consciousness of soil distribution in the region will place the weight where it is appropriate in terms of food security through crops production and cattle rearing, and forge a more realistic pathway to reconciliation and conflict resolution
Scientists and stakeholders from various human endeavours will find that the complicated nature of these conflicts demands almost the same attentions and resources required to address the changing global climate and its associated natural hazards and disasters which currently appear overpowering for Nigeria and a range of other developing countries (DCs) (Nkwunonwo et al, 2016)
Summary
Conflicts between Fulani herdsmen and sedentary farmers scale up the sources of tension for the Nigerian states in recent times (Folami & Folami, 2013). Whilst land in itself maintains a fixed attribute in supply, the effects of poor resources governance and possible climate change have reduced it to a limited and scarce commodity and a cause of disagreement for related and proximate consumers in the region in question (Amusan et al, 2017) Put in another way, human beings are engaged in these conflicts, it is ideologically a battle for dominance for either crops or herds. In view of the pervasive herdsmen-farmers conflicts in the north central region of Nigeria, GIS can provide a platform to investigate land classification, water resources, geomorphic features and ecological system. Many recent studies (including Obioha, 2008; Olabode & Ajibade, 2010; Odoh & Chigozie, 2012; Folami & Folami, 2013; Abugu & Onuba, 2015; Amusan et al, 2017; Tanimu & Akujuru, 2018) have implicated the changing global climate in the herdsmen-farmers conflicts. By presenting a more convenient way of perceiving the soils, understanding the key components, and accessing its data, stakeholders can appreciate how the conflicts can be resolved by scaling up the usefulness of soil on the basis of crop farming and cattle rearing
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