Assessing Community Survival Strategies for Reducing Conflict Impacts and Strengthening Resilience in Southern Cross River State, Nigeria
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Abstract
This study assessed community survival strategies for reducing the impacts of conflicts and strengthening resilience in Southern Cross River State, Nigeria. The aim was to examine the coping mechanisms employed by affected communities and evaluate the effectiveness of local resilience systems in promoting peace, livelihood recovery, and social stability. A cross-sectional survey research design combining quantitative and qualitative approaches was adopted. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, interviews, and field observations from a sample of 624 respondents selected through purposive and simple random sampling techniques across conflict-affected communities. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. Findings revealed that livelihood diversification was the most adopted survival strategy with 28.7 percent, followed by family and community support networks at 24.2 percent, migration to safer communities at 17.5 percent, reduction in consumption at 16.2 percent, and government or NGO assistance at 13.4 percent. Also, 59.6 percent of respondents reported that they very often or often use multiple coping strategies. Regarding effectiveness, 56.1 percent of respondents rated local resilience mechanisms as effective or very effective in promoting peace, while 54.5 percent reported high or very high levels of livelihood recovery and social stability. The chi-square result of 86.42 at a p-value of 0.000 confirmed a significant relationship between coping mechanisms and livelihood outcomes. The study concludes that community-based survival strategies significantly enhance resilience and recovery in conflict-affected areas. It recommends strengthening livelihood diversification programmes and improving community-based peace structures.
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