Assessment of Grazing Land Degradation and Implications for Fulani Pastoralists in Plateau State

Grazing land degradation in Nigeria's Middle Belt zone has become a deeply politicised environmental issue with direct consequences for the livelihoods of Fulani pastoral communities and the security of farming households sharing landscapes in Plateau State. This study assesses the extent of grazing land degradation and documents implications for Fulani pastoralists across three Local Government Areas of Plateau State. Vegetation cover mapping using Sentinel-2 imagery and field-measured bare ground fractions at 48 sample plots provides quantitative data on degradation severity. Structured interviews with 140 Fulani pastoralists from twelve camps collected information on herd size trends, mobility patterns, conflicts, and livelihood coping strategies. Secondary data on farmer-herder conflict incidents were obtained from Plateau State Peacebuilding Agency records. Results indicate that over 55 percent of classified rangeland in the study area exhibits moderate to severe degradation characterised by bare soil exposure, bush encroachment, and loss of palatable grass species. Herd sizes have declined by an average of 34 percent over the past five years among surveyed pastoralists, driven by feed scarcity and livestock losses during conflict events. Conflict incidents are geographically concentrated around former open-access grazing corridors now converted to farmland. Recommendations address recognition and legal demarcation of grazing reserves, establishment of multi-stakeholder dialogue platforms, and investment in pastoral water points to reduce competition pressure. Keywords: grazing land degradation, pastoralism, Plateau State, farmer-herder conflict, rangeland management.