Re-thinking Rural Land Conflict and the Narrative of Food Security in the Development of South East, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the effects of rural land conflict on teaching and learning of new narrative
for food security and development in Southeast of Nigeria. The study evaluated the challenges
posed by customary system, population growth, political interference, climate change in relation
to food security of rural land conflict. The study employed mixed approaches of qualitative and
quantitative to collect data. Primary sources such as questionnaire and observation as well as
secondary source; interview, key informants, published materials, documentaries, textbooks,
library, journals and internet materials well also employed. The Relative Deprivation Theory was
used. The longitudinal design was also adopted for the study. The analyses of data collected from
instrument of questionnaire were done through the use of descriptive statistics such as, simple
percentages, and contingency tables. The study discovered that there is strong nexus between
rural land conflict and food security. Rural land conflict remains pervasive and a threat not only
to food security but to regional development of South East of Nigeria. The study recommended a
new narrative policy option of teaching and learning from primary to tertiary institutions such as
farm bagging and introduction of digitalized solar irrigation on tuber crops, vegetables, fruits etc.
as well as animal husbandry to reduce struggle for shrinking space of rural land on agricultural
activities to avert incompatibilities and high resurgences that are unhealthy to industrialization in
the region.