Insecurity and Peasant Farmers Food Production in Delta State of Nigeria

Abstract

In recent times, insecurity has become a huge concern for an average Deltan, who now have to contend with reported violent cases, which has led to people losing their lives and suffering losses and damage. Due to the increase in herds and expansion of household needs, land has become a comparably competitive factor of production between herders and farmers in most agrarian communities in Delta State. The destruction of crops has been the bone of contention, which has resulted in violence display. This study adopted the Marxian Political Economy Theory. The theory holds that, political and historical events, according to the theory, are the result of social forces colliding and can be interpreted as a series of contradictions and their resolutions. Material possession and access are thought to be at the heart of the conflict. The theory was thus used to analyse the importance man attaches to material needs and how undefined grazing route has triggered a crisis between farmers and herders, both of which disagreed over rights to farmland and grazing route. The research design used for this study is the qualitative method. Data were thus gathered through secondary sources and presented in tables and analysed descriptively. Finding showed that the increased foodstuff prices in Delta State is as a result of decline in food production by peasant farmers. Because, many of these peasant farmers have lost interest in farming, which is the consequence of frequent attack by herdsmen over destruction of crops and violent attack which has led to the death of over 194 persons. This study concludes that the frequent conflict between farmers and herders has declined agricultural production, creating food shortages, unemployment, and general insecurity. On this note, the study recommended, among others, the prohibition of open grazing, then creating grazing fields and let the occupiers pay tax to the state government.