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Herdsmen on the Move: The Burdens of Climate Change and Environmental Migration in Nigeria

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Handbook of Climate Change Resilience

Abstract

The changes occurring in the climate, such as rainfall pattern change, can induce human (and animal) migration as a form of adaptive strategy especially by families that are agricultural or natural-resources dependent. Climate change is a global concern now that different countries including Nigeria are living in the reality of its impacts. These impacts are felt more in northern Nigeria (the arid region) where there is an evident ecological decline resulting in drought and desertification. Herders from this region, who are predominantly into cattle rearing as a source of wealth and livelihood, are forced to embark on a north–south migration in response to drought and unavailability of forage and water to feed their cows. Often, however, this change of environment is characterized by conflicts between migrating herdsmen and receiving communities for various reasons including competition emanating from scarcity of natural resources. This review is relevant at this time of a national debate in Nigeria on finding the right policies to abate the continuous clashes between herdsmen and farmers. The paper assesses migration in the context of climate change, the challenges associated with migration of herdsmen, the mutual cooperation that existed between herdsmen and farmers, and the conflict that now characterize their relationship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Sustainability, Centre for Sustainable Development, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo, Nigeria

    Toyib Aremu

  2. Department of Social Sustainability, Centre for Sustainable Development, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo, Nigeria

    Praise Abraham

Authors
  1. Toyib Aremu
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  2. Praise Abraham
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Correspondence to Toyib Aremu .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. FTZ-NK, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences , Hamburg, Germany

    Walter Leal Filho

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Aremu, T., Abraham, P. (2018). Herdsmen on the Move: The Burdens of Climate Change and Environmental Migration in Nigeria. In: Leal Filho, W. (eds) Handbook of Climate Change Resilience. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71025-9_146-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71025-9_146-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-71025-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-71025-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Earth and Environm. ScienceReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Earth and Environmental Sciences

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