The relationship between food security, agricultural productivity and violent conflict has been a debate among policymakers and researchers. This study will analyze the gender disaggregated impact of armed banditry on agricultural productivity and household food security of smallholder farmers, using Nigeria GHS Survey Panel data sets of 2011/2012, 2013/2014, 2015/2016 and 2018/2019. Data on incidences of armed banditry will be drawn from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Database (ACLED). To estimate the impact of armed banditry on households' food insecurity and agricultural productivity, the study will apply the Difference-in-Difference. Food security will be captured using the Rasch Model to compute FIES-based indicators. Agricultural productivity will be proxied by total crop production, net agricultural income and agricultural land use. We will construct the indicators at the individual and household levels for intra-household heterogeneity analysis. Through the disaggregation of gender impacts, this study will inform gender policy responses amidst violence.
The study will help us to understand the disaggregated impact of violent conflicts on food security and agricultural productivity in Nigeria, which is important in assessing household and economic welfare. The knowledge of this research will facilitate gender mainstreaming in policy responses to insecurity.
