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EFFECTS OF LAND DEGRADATION ON AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES

ABSTRACT

Land degradation is the result of complex interaction among, physical, chemical, biological, socio-economic and political issues of local, national or global nature. Land degradation affects Nigerian economy and also has many negative impacts on agricultural productivity by reducing the fertility of agricultural land. Land degradation is increasing in severity and extent in many parts of the world, with more than 20% of all cultivated areas, 30% of forests and 10% of grasslands undergoing degradation. Millions of hectares of land per year are being degraded in all climatic regions. It is estimated that 2.6 billion people are affected by land degradation and desertification in more than a hundred countries, influencing over 33% of the eart's land surface. The global store of arable land and grazing land continuous to decline through urbanization, un sustainable agriculture practices and deforestation, while, significant portion of the remaining arable land and grazing land is under considerable pressure from compaction by livestock and farm implements, over use of fertilizers and pesticides, Salinization, alkalization or acidification depletion of nutrients, water and wind erosion, deterioration of drainage. The velocity of land degradation is high due to, Improper tillage operation on the land, Poor managements of land, The attitude of the community about the consequences of land degradation on agricultural productivity, Lack of knowledge of the farmers about the main biological, physical and mechanical methods of land conservation. The agricultural impacts of land degradation are, loss of soil nutrient, Soil erosion effects, reduction of crop yield, silting up of reservoir and It also contributes to persistent poverty, and results in decreasing ecosystem resilience e and provision of environmental services. In addition, environmental decline due to land degradation adversely affects the health, well-being and livelihood opportunities of the individuals.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Land degradation is the result of complex interaction among, physical, chemical, biological, socio-economic and political issues of local, national or global nature while, the scale of global process may be vast, they may be in state of dynamic equilibrium easily up set by human forces (Ghebru, 2010). 

Some of the causes of land degradation are natural hazards, population growth, expansion of agriculture on the forests and marginal lands, poverty, land owner ships problems, political instability and mal administration in appropriate agricultural large scale expansion of irrigated agriculture (Michael, 2006). 

Land degradation is increasing in severity and extent in many parts of the world, with more than 20% of all cultivated areas, 30% of forests and 10% of grasslands undergoing degradation (Baiet al., 2008). Millions of hectares of land per year are being degraded in