The Economic Impact of Insecurity on Agricultural Production in Enugu State (2020 to 2024)

Insecurity, particularly in the form of armed attacks on farming communities and farmland abandonment, has emerged as a severe constraint on agricultural output across Nigeria's South-East region in recent years. This study examines the economic impact of insecurity on agricultural production in Enugu State from 2020 to 2024, focusing on farmland access, crop output, and farmer income effects. The study is anchored on the Conflict-Agriculture Nexus Framework, which posits that violent conflict and insecurity disrupt farm labor supply, destroy physical capital, and deter investment in agriculture, thereby reducing sectoral output and food security. A survey research design was adopted, targeting active and displaced farmers across six local government areas with documented insecurity incidents. From an estimated population of 28,000 farming households, a sample of 393 respondents was selected using stratified random sampling. Structured questionnaires and key informant interviews were the data instruments. Findings reveal that 55 percent of farmers in affected areas reported abandoning farmland or significantly reducing cultivated acreage between 2021 and 2023 due to insecurity. Average farm income in conflict-affected LGAs fell by 43 percent relative to pre-conflict levels. Food price inflation in local markets was directly linked to supply disruptions caused by farm abandonment. The study concludes that insecurity poses a fundamental threat to agricultural economic sustainability in Enugu State. It is recommended that government prioritize rural security infrastructure and provide compensation and resettlement support for displaced farming communities.

Keywords: Insecurity, agricultural production, conflict-agriculture nexus, Enugu State, farm income