The impact of climate change on ethnic violence and food security in Benue State of Nigeria

Idu Ogbe Ode, Benue State University, Makurdi

Human security and most especially food security is today at great risk in Benue state as a result of climate change and ethnic conflicts. This human security implies the totality of those things that make for complete well – beings of the people. Climate change leads to movement of herdsmen into Benue which escalates ethnic violence leading to decline in agricultural activities, The methods employed in data collection include questionnaire and key informant interview. A sample size of four hundred respondents is drawn from six out of the twenty three local government of the state. Two local government areas are selected from each Senatorial district for study. Five communities were studied in each local government area. The criteria for selection is that the community had experienced communal conflict in the past ten years. This paper intends to investigate the threat to food security by climate change and ethnic violence.