Assessing the Effect of Banditry on Agricultural Productivity and Food Security in Kaduna, Katsina and Zamfara State Nigeria

Banditry is one of the most pressing security issues studied in this paper in relation to its effects on the agricultural productivity and food security in Kaduna, Katsina, and Zamfara states, Northern Nigeria. Using PLS-SEM a cross-sectional survey of 438 respondents, the study aims at investigating how the incidence, dispersion and impact of banditry attacks on agricultural productivity and food supply. Research evidence indicates that the levels of attack by bandits have the greatest adverse effects on agricultural returns compared to spread of such activities. The findings indicate that almost 59% of outcomes concerning performances in agricultural can be accounted by banditry-related factors pointing to the need for intervention. The results emphasize the need for increasing the security measures, shared approaches and agricultural assistance to minimize the negative impact on food security. The paper suggests that well-coordinated efforts from grassroots up to the application of technology will be critical to enhance capacity to reduce vulnerability in the agricultural sector in conflict regions.