Perceived effects of banditry on the livelihoods of farmers in Borgu local government area of Niger state, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the effects of banditry on the livelihoods of arable crop farmers in the Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, Nigeria. A 3-stage sampling procedure was utilised to select 137 respondents for the study. The data was analysed with the use of frequency, percentage and mean. The result revealed that about 70.8 % of the farmers were male, the mean age was 46.2 years, the average income of the respondents was 4,171,544.12 Naira, and the mean farm size was 4.7 acres. The result showed that the main forms of banditry activities in the study area are kidnapping/abduction (92.7%) and raiding of markets (90.5%). The result revealed that the main perceived causes of banditry in the study area were conflicts over resources (93.4%), high rate of poverty (92.7%) and climate change (87.6%). The major effects of banditry on the Livelihoods are loss of other income-generating activities (mean=3.52) was the highest ranked financial outcome/effect, the delayed planting/harvesting (mean=3.59)  was the highest ranked physical outcome/effect, inability to connect with extension agents/experts for crop production (mean=3.48) was the highest ranked social outcome/ effect, high rate of food insecurity among rural people (mean=3.42) was the highest ranked human outcome/effect and lack of access to a secure and safe area for crop production (mean=3.52) was the highest ranked natural outcome/effects. The study recommended that there is need for the provision of economic and humanitarian support for the farmers there were affected by banditry activities and there is need to protect the lives of farmers against the banditry activities.