ABSTRACT

Agricultural commercialization, urbanization, land grabbing and rapid population growth among others have placed undue pressures on demand for land in South-East Nigeria. These factors in turn have led to changes in land use patterns with outcomes such as the reduced land fallow periods, decreased access to water, land degradation, deforestation, and overgrazing. The concomitant effect of these changes in land use is increased conflicts, and nearly all conflicts affect food security. This study on the effect of land conflict on food crop production in rural communities in South-East, Nigeria, was carried out with 405 respondents drawn from three states in South-East Nigeria namely, Imo, Anambra, and Ebonyi states. Well-structured questionnaires were administered to the participants. Data were analyzed using both descriptive statistics (frequency, percentages, mean and mean score) and inferential statistics (analysis of variance). The results revealed that the most predominant type of tenure system is the leasehold tenure system (83.95%), while the least is certificate of occupancy (14.81%). Inter-family conflict (x̄=3.85) was found to be the most prevalent type of land conflict while conflict between settlers and indigenes (x̄=2.03) was the least prevalent. Encroachment (x̄=3.59) was found to be the most perceived factor causing land conflict within the study area whereas illegal/improper uses of common property was perceived as the least cause of land conflict (x̄=2.00). The use of the village elders/traditional rulers (96.04%) was the commonest form of conflict resolution mechanism within the study area whereas the least common was the resort to age grades/women groups (41.98%). However, the use of village elders/traditional rulers was perceived to be the most effective conflict resolution mechanism (x̄=3.79) among the respondents. The perceived effects of land conflict on food crop production include reduced output, reduced income, reduced output, and food insecurity. Chief among the economic effects of land conflicts as perceived by the respondents is loss of lives and properties. Education, age, gender and income were found to have significant effect on the respondents’ perception of the most effective conflict resolution mechanism at 5% level. There was a significant difference in perception of increased input, increased output, food security, food insecurity and reduced income as effects of land conflict on food crop production among the respondents at 5% level. A significant difference in respondent’s perception about the causes of land conflicts was found also from the 3 states after testing at 5%. The study concluded that land conflicts affects food crop production in rural communities in South-East, Nigeria. It is therefore recommended that new policies which would ensure access to land and land tenure security for rural farmers be put in place. There is also need for peace education and conflict resolution skill building among rural farmers. This will enable them develop the dispositions which will influence them to behave peacefully.