FARMERS HERDSMEN CLASHES; IMPLICATIONS FOR CROP MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN AKINYELE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF OYO STATE, NIGERIA

This study examined the crop management constraints sequel to the crop-farmers herdsmen clashes in Akinyele local government area of Oyo state, Nigeria.. The study employed the questionnaire to interrogate crop farmers regarding their clashes with herdsmen. Data obtained were analyzed using the frequency counts, percentages, and Pearson Product Moment of Correlation (PPMC). The findings revealed that most of them (50%) had no formal education while most of them (82.4% and 73.3%) were male and married respectively. The result also shows that soil preparation, planting, pest management, harvesting, and storage were the management practices that were usually affected by their communal clashes with herdsmen. The result further shows that most of the respondents considered the constraints associated with management practices as severe constraints. The result of the analysis revealed that there is no significant relationship (r=0.170, P=0.064>0.01) existing between constraints faced by crop farmers and management practices they carried out. It is therefore recommended that Government provide grazing land for herdsmen in the study area as well as placing rules that will govern both parties and there should be strict punishment for violation of the rules.