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This research investigates the dynamics of farmer-herder conflicts in Nigeria and evaluates the role of edutainment and community structures in fostering peace.

July 28, 2026Discover Sustainability0 citationsOpen Access

Prospects of community-based structures and edutainment for farmer-herder peacebuilding in Oyo State, Nigeria

NONathaniel Siji OlutegbeUniversity of Ibadan PNPaul Kwame NkegbeUniversity for Development Studies

Key Points

This research investigates the dynamics of farmer-herder conflicts in Nigeria and evaluates the role of edutainment and community structures in fostering peace.
Analysed 148 household surveys and conducted nine focus group discussions with 81 participants.
Performed seven key informant interviews utilizing descriptive statistics, t-tests, and OLS mediation regression with bootstrapped indirect effects.
Utilized radio, mobile phones, and WhatsApp as primary edutainment tools.
Social integration averages at 52.0%, peace-readiness at 54.7%, and peaceful predisposition at 55.4%.
Herders exhibit significantly greater social integration (t = −4.34) and peaceful predisposition (t = −6.96) compared to farmers.
Edutainment exposure predicts peace-readiness (β = 0.2066); however, it does not directly predict peaceful predisposition, which is mediated by social integration (indirect effect ab = 0.0793, 95% BCa CI [0.0041, 0.1855]).

Abstract

Abstract Farmer-herder conflicts in Nigeria threaten rural livelihoods, with Oyo State emerging as a hotspot driven by resource competition, climate-induced migration, and weak land-use governance. Managing this conflict directly affects SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), and SDG 13 (Climate Action). This study assessed conflict dynamics and the potential of edutainment and community-based peacebuilding. We analysed 148 household surveys, nine focus group discussions (81 participants), and seven key informant interviews using descriptive statistics, t-tests, and OLS mediation regression with bootstrapped indirect effects. Radio, mobile phones, and WhatsApp were key edutainment tools, though language barriers, infrastructure gaps, and gendered access limited reach. Community-based structures have improved farmer-herder communication, yet social integration (52.0%), peace-readiness (54.7%), and peaceful predisposition (55.4%) remained low. Herders showed significantly stronger social integration (t = −4.34) and peaceful predisposition (t = −6.96) than farmers. Edutainment exposure predicted peace-readiness ( β = 0.2066). However, peace-readiness alone did not directly predict peaceful predisposition; rather, social integration mediated the effect of edutainment (indirect effect ab = 0.0793, 95% BCa CI 0.0041, 0.1855) in shaping predisposition. Community structures positively predicted peace-readiness ( β = 0.9959) overall, but the interaction with herder identity revealed a negative effect on peaceful predisposition ( β = −1.5933), indicating that current mechanisms may be less inclusive for herders. Being female ( β = − 0.4607) and prior conflict exposure ( β = − 0.3360) negatively predicted social integration. Further, conflict experience predicted peaceful predisposition negatively ( β = − 0.2406). Integrating edutainment with inclusive community-driven mechanisms offers a complementary pathway for rebuilding trust and sustaining long-term peace, thereby advancing sustainable development at local and national levels.

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