Nigerian Journal of Rural Sociology Vol. 17, No. 1, 2017 45 LIVELIHOOD DIVERSIFICATION AMONGST PASTORALISTS AND CONFLICT WITH ARABLE CROP FARMERS: EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM KWARA STATE, NIGERIA Yusuf, O. J., Ayanda, I. F., Olooto, F. M. and Salawu, O. L. Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension Services, Kwara State University, Malete, Kwara State Correspondence contact details: olayinkaj.yusuf@kwasu.edu.ng ABSTRACT The study identified causes of conflicts, settlement pattern of pastoral farmers and analyzed the influence of livelihood diversification on conflicts between pastoralists and indigenous crop farmers. Using multistage sampling procedure to select 280 respondents, data were collected by means of structured interview schedule and analyzed by frequency distribution, Pearson Correlation and one-way ANOVA. Results show that high pressure on land (WMS = 4.87) and unfavourable land tenure system (4.56) mainly caused the conflicts. Crop and pastoral farmers had an average farm size of 2.9ha and 1.7ha, respectively. Majority (75.5%) of pastoralists were engaged in crop production, while only 12.1% of crop farmers were involved in livestock rearing. Also, 57.9% and 32.9% amongst crop farmers and 14.2% and 15.0% amongst pastoral farmers were involved in trading and commercial (vehicular) transport business, respectively. Furthermore, 16.4% and 7.9% of the pastoralists lived in mud and block- walled houses with corrugated iron sheets, respectively. Transformational approach was identified as most acceptable solution of conflict resolution by both crop and pastoral farmers. There was a significant difference between farm size (F=9.33) and educational level (F=8.93) of crop and pastoral farmers. There was also a significant relationship between cause of conflicts and pastoralists’ livelihood diversification (r=0.74) and number of years’ of pastoralists in settlement (r=0.29). The study concluded that increasing involvement of the pastoralists in crop production, involvement in other employment opportunities and erection of permanent building structure ignited unhealthy rivalry between the two groups. Keywords: Permanent housing, crop production, farm size, livelihood diversification, educational attainment. INTRODUCTION Nigerian agriculture remains a key driver of the economy despite the abundance of oil in the country. Agriculture employs about 70% of the active population and contributes 24.4% of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Yet, large proportions of the farmers who mainly live in rural areas are poor people (Edache, 2006). Sanusi (2011) reported that about 70% (a proportion equivalent to almost 20% of Sub-Saharan Africa) of Nigerian total population lives below the poverty line. Although an average farmer in a rural set up in Nigeria engages in crop cultivation and livestock rearing, pastoral farmers are mainly known for livestock rearing. They engage in seasonal migration of herds and family in search of fertile pastures for their livestock. However, transhumance nature of pastoral farmers characterized by seasonal movement of livestock from one region to another, in recent times, is now taking new dimension - pastoralists now more often assume sedentary lifestyle. They acquire land in their new locations, settle down, engage extensively in arable farming while tenaciously still keep tending their livestock herds. The consequences of livelihood diversification among pastoralists is threatening to local residents, who are mainly arable crop farmers, thereby re- igniting long-standing violent conflicts between these two groups in many rural communities in Nigeria. Tamuno (1991) reported that these conflicts are due to internal boundary disputes, rival interest of nomads and sedentary farmers as well as agitation for improved prices for agricultural commodities and improved standard of living by groups of peasants in some Local Government Areas. Also, vying for land ownership could be another major cause of conflict. Land is not only a matter of power and wealth, but is loaded with meaning. It is sine qua non to life; it is a bridge between livelihood and beyond, as people spend useful parts of their living on land till transition to grave for external preservation inside the land (Yahaya, 2005). Hence, the way by which people perceive land culturally may be instrumental to how disputes between crop farmers and pastoralists as well as land resource explorers are handled. Arable and pastoral farmers tend to differ from each other both regarding principles and practices of land use. For instance, many disputes often occur around water courses where farmers grow vegetables in dry season and herders water their cattle. If crop damage occurs and this is frequently the case, conflict occurs. Vegetable farmers claim right to grow vegetables around the water courses and herdsmen should stop destroying their crops. The herders, on the other hand, perceive this act as sabotage, indicating that their cattle need to be watered anyhow. The phenomenon of climate change, inevitably altering local and regional weather conditions around the world and resulting in extreme climatic conditions, also exacerbate the conflict situation. The ever growing pressure on land in the past recent years has been described by many experts and onlookers as a clear manifestation of the impact of climate change across Nigeria (Heinrich Boll Foundation,