In Nigeria's Middle Belt, a climate-fueled crisis is turning fertile fields into battlegrounds. As pasturelands shrink and rainfall patterns shift, farmers and cattle herders are locked in a deadly struggle for survival – with over 60,000 lives lost since 2001 according to government figures.
🔥 Why it's escalating: Climate change has reduced usable grazing land by 40% in two decades, pushing nomadic herders south into farming territories. Meanwhile, farmers like Ribetshak Anthony report: "A lot of my relatives have been killed. We’ve had to lease new land just to grow food."
🐄 The herder perspective: Lookman Adam, moving cautiously with his cattle, tells us: "Both government and farmers are against us. Even when farmers provoke us, we’re always blamed." Pastoralists claim over 15,000 herders have been killed since 2016.
🌍 Climate connection: Agriculture expert Caleb Menegbe explains: "Desertification and erratic rains have destroyed traditional grazing routes. We need urgent transition to modern ranching – one hectare can sustain 1,000 cattle if managed properly."
💡 Path forward: Nigeria’s new Ministry of Livestock Development aims to replace nomadic practices with regulated ranching. But with 400+ killed in 2024 clashes alone, many fear solutions won’t come fast enough to prevent more bloodshed.
