Veritatis Gaudium: Multidisciplinary Journal of Postgraduate Studies

Despite growing scholarship on farmer-herder conflicts in Nigeria, there remains limited gender-disaggregated research that specifically examines the disproportionate and long-term impacts on women and children in Benue State, particularly within a longitudinal timeframe. Existing studies are largely descriptive, with insufficient attention to the interconnected effects of livelihood loss, sexual violence, educational disruption, and intergenerational trauma in Nigeria’s food basket region. This study investigated the lived experiences of women and children affected by farmer-herder conflicts in Benue State between 2015 and 2026. Anchored on Human Needs Theory, Feminist Conflict Theory, and Structural-Functionalism, the research adopted a primarily qualitative case study design with limited mixed-methods elements. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and document analysis involving 45 purposively selected participants from Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, affected communities, NGOs, and government agencies in high-conflict Local Government Areas (LGAs). Findings revealed severe livelihood losses, widespread sexual and gender-based violence, and overwhelming caregiving burdens on women, while children experienced profound educational disruptions, psychological trauma, and malnutrition. The conflicts have created intergenerational consequences that threaten human capital development and national food security. The study concludes that gender-neutral interventions have proven inadequate and recommends urgent, inclusive, and gender-sensitive policies focused on protection, livelihood restoration, psychosocial support, and sustainable peacebuilding. These measures are critical to mitigating vulnerabilities and fostering resilience among women and children in conflict-affected agrarian communities.

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