Climate change and population growth in Nigeria is exerting pressure on its natural systems such as agricultural and forestry systems. This pressure is primarily from deforestation for agricultural expansion, game hunting, fuel gathering and development. Conflicting land use objectives accelerate deforestation, severely change agricultural and forestry systems, and impact food security.

This research aims at a better understanding of land use conflicts in Nigeria. At the same time, tries to identify possible and plausible land use adaptation and conflict mitigation options. It jointly addresses the problems of poverty, food insecurity, biodiversity decline, deforestation, water scarcity, soil degradation, and climate change. She combines qualitative and quantitative research tools from several disciplines. In particular, the research encompasses methods and tools from natural sciences, engineering, agricultural economics, social sciences, and others. This interdisciplinary diversity makes it very attractive but also very challenging.

An integrated assessment model is constructed for the forestry and agricultural sector to understand land use conflicts in Nigeria. This bottom-up, partial equilibrium model is programmed in Generalized Algebraic Modeling Systems (GAMS) and jointly integrates important natural and societal developments. These developments include:

i. impacts of climate change on biodiversity conservation and agricultural productivity,

ii. impacts of population and income growth on domestic food demand,

iii. impacts of technological innovation on food supply, and

iv. impacts of agricultural and environmental policies on forestry and agricultural decisions.

To overcome data deficiencies, several approaches are used to collate data. Historical land use changes are assessed with sophisticated satellite data algorithms. These algorithms analyse a 40-year period from 1978 to 2017 and estimate agricultural expansion and detailed changes in forest cover. Socio-economic information collected from Nigerian farmers and other important stakeholders in different environmental and regional settings is used to adequately depict motivations, restrictions, and options of farmers in a changing environment and society.

Exploring farm-level adaptation options for alternative climate, policy, and development scenarios, the research will provide important insights in opportunities and trade-offs between sustainable development objectives including reduction of poverty and malnutrition, preservation of valuable forest ecosystems, and global efforts to slow down climate change.