Experts Urge Integrated Approach to Nigeria's Agricultural Security

Experts from Nextier, Jennifer Eburuoh and Olive Aniunoh, have called for an integrated approach to address Nigeria's farmer-herder conflicts, asserting that agricultural reforms alone cannot resolve the insecurity affecting food production and rural livelihoods. Their analysis indicates that casualties from these conflicts rose from 188 to 322 between January and December 2025.

They noted that violence, such as the recent attacks in Gurfata village, disrupts agricultural production and displaces communities, particularly in Benue State, where around 400,000 residents have been displaced. The authors discussed ongoing interventions like the World Bank-supported Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project, which aims to restore degraded land and improve irrigation in 19 states, and the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) project, which enhances livestock value chains.

However, they cautioned that these initiatives depend on stable security conditions, as infrastructure projects cannot function effectively in areas controlled by armed groups.