The agricultural impacts of armed conflicts: the case of Fulani militia

Abstract

Abstract Fulani ethnic militia (FEM) violence has increased significantly in recent years, making it one of the most lethal groups in the world. However, empirical evidence on the impacts of FEM on agriculture is scarce. We investigate the agricultural impacts of such violence in the case of Nigeria using a nationally representative panel dataset and armed conflict data. We find that increased FEM violence reduces agricultural output, outputs of specific staple crops and area harvested. FEM violence also reduces farmers’ cattle holdings by increasing cattle thefts and losses and reducing purchased cattle. The agricultural development implications of the FEM cannot be ignored.