Climate Change, Resource Scarcity, and Farmer-Herder Conflict: A Socioecological Analysis of Fulani Pastoralism in Nigeria

The study examines how climate change and human pressures transform pastoralist conflicts in Nigeria through a socioecological lens. Focusing on Fulani pastoralists, it challenges narratives criminalising their survival strategies, highlighting systemic vulnerabilities in Nigeria's agrarianpastoral economy. Using mixed methods, ethnographic fieldwork, geospatial analysis, and policy evaluation, the paper argues that clashes with farming communities stem from ecological collapse and governance failures, not cultural traits. Desertification, erratic rainfall, and shrinking grazing lands have disrupted traditional transhumance, while population growth and agricultural expansion have intensified land competition. Neoliberal land reforms and state neglect exacerbate scarcity, pushing pastoralists toward survivalist practices akin to banditry. Yet, Fulani resilience endures through ethno-ecological knowledge and local conflict-resolution systems. The resulting violence, farm destruction, displacement, and ethno-religious tensions, threatens Nigeria's food security and stability. The study proposes policy reforms: climate-smart ranching, equitable land-use models, and inclusive mediation prioritising pastoralist agency. By reframing Fulani pastoralism within planetary boundary debates, it advances global discussions on sustainable livestock economies amid climate crises. Ultimately, Nigeria's pastoralist conflict is not an isolated issue but a warning of socioecological breakdowns facing resource-dependent Global South regions.