Paper short abstract:

The farmer-herder conflicts has expanded significantly in the last decade. This paper explores the various contributions of women groups to the strategic management of this complicated and increasingly intractable conflict in Nigeria.

Paper long abstract:

From the Savannah's of Kaduna to the palm-populated farms of Abia and the vibrant green thickets of Oyo, the threat of conflict arising from disagreement between farmers and herders is an ever-present reality. The farmer-herder conflicts which began as an almost uniquely northern Nigerian problem, has expanded significantly in the last 7 years. Reaction to this scourge at both the federal and state level have been arguably sub-optimal at best. Rural insecurity, law enforcement and security agencies early-response, and prosecution for the perpetrators have remained some of the major issues begging for interrogation. These endemic conflicts have revealed that in the absence of adequate government intervention, both herders and farmers take issues into their own hands, further exacerbating the problem. Consequently, a community level solution is required to tackle what has become a community level threat. While conflict is traumatizing and devastating for all parties involved, women are the most affected group; be it violent or non-violent conflicts. Using the social feminism theory, this paper explores the various contributions of women to the strategic management of this complicated and increasingly intractable conflict in Nigeria. This is done utilizing the qualitative method of research, analytically reviewing existing literature.