10th U6+ Consortium of African Universities International Conference

Despite the growing recognition of the farmer-herder conflict in Nigeria as a critical threat to livelihoods and social cohesion, there remains limited understanding of how intergroup interactions and trust shape conflict dynamics and household welfare outcomes, particularly food security and mental health in rural Nigeria. This observational study therefore analyzed how farmer-herder interactions are associated with conflict and welfare outcomes in Niger State, Nigeria. The study uses a mixed dataset combining survey data from 160 respondents with qualitative data from 84 focus group discussants across 8 communities in Niger State. Data were analyzed using a combination descriptive statistics and econometric models. Results revealed that farmers and herders differ significantly in their perceptions of intergroup interaction and trust, despite operating within the same community. Farmers and herders have interaction frequency of 2.27 and 2.61, contact quality of 1.09 and 1.44, and reciprocity of 1.01 and 1.26 respectively. Interaction frequency is positively associated with generalized trust, economic and resource-based trust, as well as affective trust, while contact quality is positively associated with economic and affective trust. Economic and resource-based trust is significantly associated with lower conflict exposure, while affective trust is significantly associated with lower economic loss due to conflict. Generalized intergroup trust is also significantly associated with a lower likelihood of moderate anxiety. We concluded that strengthening trust and sustained intergroup engagement is essential for reducing conflict and improving rural welfare. Policy efforts should prioritize dialogue platforms, inclusive cooperation, and conflict-sensitive resource management, alongside interventions addressing food insecurity