EVALUATION OF CATTLE HERDERS’ COPING STRATEGIES TO EFFECTS OF LAND USE CHANGE IN KATSINA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study aimed at assessing cattle herders’ Coping Strategies to Effects of Land Use Change in Katsina States, Nigeria. The research centered on primary data acquired through questionnaire, Focus Group Discussion and in depth Interview. Both descriptive (frequencies, percentages, mean) and inferential statistics (Tobit regression analysis) were used to analyze the data. Results shows the effects of land use change on herders’ livelihood with land fragmentation having no significant effect. However, soil degradation, of soil degradation (-0.2095), cattle route blockade (0.0073) and conflict on land resources (0.0088) have significant negative effects on herders’ livelihood while the coefficient of decline of livestock population (0.0096), livestock health (0.0090), forage availability (0.0768) and water availability (0.0007) were found to have significant positive effects on herders’ livelihood. The study also established that the predominant coping strategies of cattle herders to effects of land use change are: move long distance to find pasture (RII=0.83), use of crop residues as animal feeds (RII=0.83), praying to God (RII=0.83), herds Splitting (RII=0.76), and sales of natural resources such as medicine (RII=0.76). The study as well shows that the major constraints to coping strategies in the study area are conflicts over scarce resources (pasture and water) (X=4.15), minimal extension services (X=4.04), limited access to market (X=4.01), agricultural expansion limiting livestock movement (X=4.00) and Unfavourable government policy (X=3.99). However, these strategies are constrained by conflict over scarce resources such as pasture and water, minimal extension services, limited access to market and consistent agricultural expansion limiting herds movement due to land use change. It is concluded that Cattle herders and their cattle are subjected to long treks to find water and pasture as moving long distance, use of crop residues and praying to God are there main coping strategies in the area. Therefore, to increase cattle herders’ income and transition them from migratory form of herding to sedentary pastoralism, which has better production output and safety for both the cattle, herders and farmers, it is pertinent for government and NGOs to provide enormous incentives in form of land, exposure, training and capital on a frequent basis to cattle herders.