Resource competition between nomadic pastoralists and sedentary crop farmers in southern Taraba State, Nigeria

Abstract

This article entitled “Resource Competition between Nomadic Pastoralists and Sedentary Crop Farmers in Southern Taraba State, Nigeria” aimed at exploring the dynamics of resource competition as it affected nomadic pastoralists and sedentary crop farmers in Southern Taraba State, Nigeria. Research design adopted was descriptive that depended on judgmental sampling technique. Secondary sources of data collection (books, journal articles, monographs, internet materials among others) were sourced from Nigerian libraries and internet. The documentary data were subjected to content validity before qualitatively analyzed into the study. Findings revealed that environmental degradation caused by climate change and shrinking of Lake Chad Basin was the remote factors that trigger resource competition between nomadic pastoralists and sedentary crop farmers in Southern Taraba State, Nigeria. The resource competition has negative consequences on economy, humanitarian, political and social life of the people. Federal government has proposed Cattle Colony, National Livestock Development Plan, Rural Grazing Area, while Taraba State government promulgated Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranching Establishment Law No. 7 of 2017. Regrettably, the resource competition continues unabatedly hence the adoption of Relative Deprivation Theory to deepen the understanding of the series of crises between farmers and herders in Southern Taraba State, Nigeria. The study recommends that federal government should fund ranches; establish National Climate Change Commission as well as revive Lake Chad Basin Commission. These would be panacea for resource competition between nomadic pastoralists and sedentary crop farmers in Southern Taraba State, Nigeria.