The Evolution of Nigerian Farming Systems in Relation to Farmer-Herder Conflict

Beyond the headlines of ethnic and religious friction lies a deeper structural transformation of Nigeria’s landscape. This report explores how the evolution of farming techniques, economic pressures, and land-use changes have reshaped the relationship between farmers and herders, offering a fresh perspective on one of Nigeria’s most enduring security challenges.

Commissioned by the SPRiNG programme, this study moves beyond the “clash of cultures” narrative to examine the material and economic drivers of conflict. By tracing the history of Nigerian agriculture from the colonial era to the present day, the authors reveal how the expansion of permanent cultivation, the loss of traditional fallow systems, and the breakdown of mutualistic “manure-for-stubble” exchanges have created a zero-sum competition for land and water.