Anti-Open Grazing and Ranch Establishment Act and Food Security in North-West Senatorial District of Benue State, Nigeria

This study examined the effectiveness of the Anti-Open Grazing and Ranch Establishment Act on food security in
the North-West Senatorial District of Benue State, Nigeria. The study was motivated by persistent farmer-herder
conflicts that have severely undermined agricultural productivity, rural livelihoods, and overall food security in
the region. Despite the enactment of the Anti-Open Grazing Law in 2017 to regulate livestock management, curb
violent clashes, and protect arable farmlands, challenges such as enforcement gaps, high costs of ranch
establishment, and resistance from nomadic pastoralists persist. The study adopted structural functionalism as its
theoretical framework and utilised a mixed-methods research design with a sample size of 600 valid respondents
drawn from a target population of 2,068,000. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and key
informant interviews, and analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Findings revealed that
60.0% of respondents possessed high awareness of the Act; 45.0% reported a significant reduction in open
clashes; 50.0% believed the Act positively impacted food security; and the primary challenge to compliance was
the high cost of ranch establishment (40.0%). The study recommends enhanced enforcement mechanisms, public
enlightenment programmes, financial support for ranch development, and community policing to ensure food
security and sustainable agricultural practices.

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