Incidents of Deforestation, Desertification and Erosion

Issues in the Nigerian Environment: A Contemporary

Understanding and the Attendant Policy Implications

By

H.I Jimoh, B.sc, M.sc, Ph.D, Cert. DPMIS, MANG, MNGWG, MNISORSDepartment of Geography and Planning,Kogi State University, Anyigba, Nigeria

A paper presented in a National conference on Environment organized by House of Representatives Committee on Environment in the Month of May 20th to 21st, 2013 at

Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, Nigeria

IntroductionThis tripartite concepts of deforestation, desertification and erosion translate into the

issues before us this morning. However, the earlier concepts clearly explain the incidentsof the third concept. Further, the first concept is in part responsible for the occurrence ofthe second one. Similarly, incidences of deforestation and erosion are also in partresponsible for the emergence of desertification. Also, efforts at resolving soil erosionproblems will automatically ease out the inconveniences of both desertification anddeforestation problems. In mathematical term, d1 + d2 = e, where d1 and d2 aredeforestation and desertification respectively and e is erosion incidence. Also, when e isput under control, d1 and d2 disappears as well. But if d1 becomes the subject of theput under control, d1 and d2 disappears as well. But if d1 becomes the subject of theformulae then the equation will read thus, d1 = e – d2. And if d2 becomes the subject of theformulae the equation becomes thus d2 = e – d1 among others. This therefore means thaterosion factor is crucial in all of this discussion and that all of the three concepts ofdeforestation, desertification and erosion appears to be triplet issues of geomorphic origin.Essentially, this issue have been addressed one after the other as follows: (a)deforestation, (b) desertification and (c) erosion.

1. Deforestation

Vegetal covers are vital resource that covers the soil surface. For example, in the

opinions of Brinket (1985) vegetal covers can be regarded as the skin of the earth. This

therefore mean that vegetal covers not only improve on the soil nutrient status but also

protects it from a number of geomorphic problems. Thus, eroding these vital functions

of vegetal covers based largely on the attitudes of man and other efforts by plundering

the resource to advantage but with disregard to the emerging consequences of such

actions. These actions that culminate in the vegetal plundering is therefore known as

deforestation. Thus, deforestation can be defined as a situation in which vegetal

resources are plundered with a view to achieving other goals such as farming

exercises, building, animal husbandry among others (see plates1&2).

Plate 1: An example of deforestation effort where a parcel of land has been cleared for bothsettlement and farming activities

Plate 2: A goat caught in the act of deforestation

As a matter of fact, deforestation issues especially in the opinions of FAO (1993) has observed that the continent of Africa has experienced the most rapid deforestation of all (see table 1) below. Table 1: Anthropogenetic deforestation during the present century .Country Forest area by c1900 Present forest area(1985) Present forest as percentage of

original (%)

Benin 1,120,000 47,000 96

Cote de voire 14,500,000 3,993,000 72

Ghana 9,871,000 1,718,000 83

Source: (Gornitz and NASA, 1985).

Liberia 6,475,000 2,000,000 69

Sierra Leone NA - -

Togo NA - -

Source: (Gornitz and NASA, 1985).

The picture portrayed in table 1 means that the earth surface will in a short time going to be left

bare and thus completely exposed to the problems of soil erosion.

Factors of deforestation

Essentially, incidents of deforestation can be precipitated through degradation of the rural

environment uncontrolled grazing leading to degrading the forest ecosystem through loss of

biomass and ecosystem services, farming, excessive logging, wood gathering, fire incidents,

drought conditions, introduction of cash crops, development projects to assist agriculturaldrought conditions, introduction of cash crops, development projects to assist agricultural

development at the expense of forests, acquisition of technological sophistry over the three

phases of human civilizations (Paleolithic, Neolithic and modern times) among others.

Importantly, Cleaver, (1992 p.67) has sumized this factor in the following words as follows:

‘Traditional farming and livestock husbandry practices, traditional dependency on wood for energy and for building material,traditional land tenure arrangements and traditional burdens on rural women worked and were all possible when populationdensities were low and population grew slowly….. With the shock of extremely rapid population growth ……. thesepractices could not evolve fast enough. Thus, they became the major source of forest destruction and degradation of therural environment ’

Problems of deforestationThe assertion above means that following this type of development with the forest

resource, different types of problems are in place as follows: environmental degradation,destruction of ecosystem and the attendant migration of both plants and animals of higheconomic values, desiccation of soil resources, destruction of environmental sceneries, a drawback on traditional medicine practices, predisposition of land resource to severe soil erosionproblems among others.Suggested responses to deforestation problems

Essentially, these myriads of problems emanating from deforestation exercise can becontrolled with the adoption of the following measures to includes environmental education,detection of deforestation at incipient stage and effecting control immediately, promulgatingdetection of deforestation at incipient stage and effecting control immediately, promulgatingeffective and indeed plausible regulations guiding the conduct of interacting with vegetalresources, operating by the laws of the land and the acceptance of the government position onthis issue, inter organizational/ governmental cooperations, the government should reinvigorateher poverty reduction programmes so as to ease the economic inconveniences in the ruralareas that often stimulate the desire to resort to wood as source of energy for meeting theirenergy needs among others,

2. Desertification

This concept is defiled of a universally acceptable definition. Thus, it can be defined asperceived. Essentially, desertification can be defined as a situation in which fertile landtransforms into desert due in part to deforestation, human population pressure on land,socioeconomic and policy factors, climate related processes, drought conditions or improper /inappropriate agricultural practices. However, caution must be exercised in gluing to thisdefinition especially as Groove, (1956) has observed that all soil types are fertile depending onthe use it has been subjected as each crop type has its own soil type requirement. In any case,the appearance of desert as a topical issue is not accidental. Specifically, deserts can be locatedbetween latitudes 150N and 300S of the equator. This therefore means that from time immemorialdeserts have been in existence. But, their emergence as topical issues today based largely in thedeserts have been in existence. But, their emergence as topical issues today based largely in thefact that they now grow in dimension (desert encroachment). Following this desert advancementis the open out cry for the incidence of desertification, the attendant problems and the need forthe appropriate management attentions.

Importantly, incidents of desertification has carved an estimated land area coveringabout 40 to 41 percent of the entire globe or earth which would have been enough an abode tohuman population of no less than 2billion people. Recently, desertification has further degradedthe existing dryland areas to the tune of 6 to 12 millionkm2 and the 1 to 6 percent of theinhabitants of drylands live in desertified areas, and that a billion people are under threat fromfurther desertification menace (see plate 3).

Plate 3: Overgrazing has made the Rio Puerco Basin of central

New Mexico one of the most eroded river basins of the

American West and has increased the high sediment content of the river.

Factors of desertification

As a matter of fact, desertification is usually caused as a result of the interacting

factors of overgrazing, exhaustive exploitation of soil resource through farming

without regeneration efforts, poverty factor, destruction of plants through fire incidents

i.e the quest to capture bush meat, cutting plants down as fire wood and building

materials and land preparation for farming exercises among others (see plates 4&5

below). It must be noted that it is the totality of these factors interacting together thatbelow). It must be noted that it is the totality of these factors interacting together that

translate to serious depletion of vegetal resources from land surface and

consequently the emergence of desertified areas across the globe or earth.

Plate 4: Animal grazing in a part of Chile

Plate 5: Herdsmen guiding their flocks through the desert

Problems of desertification

Desertification carries with it a number of problems such as decrease in land areas and

thus leading to pressure on the available land resource needed to meet other needs,

food problems, hydrological problems, destruction of vital plants of medicinal values

and thus migrating to other places by all forms of dispersals, ecological disturbances or

a threat to biodiversity, destruction of environmental sceneries of vital importance,

desiccation of soil resource among others (see plate 6).

Plate 6: Camels and other animals trample the soil

in the semiarid Sahel of Africa as they move to

water holes such as this one in Chad

Suggested responses to desertification problemsThese rather very unfortunate development threatens not only the existence of the currentgeneration but also the very comfort and existence of the generation yet unborn. Thistherefore means that this situation should be put under check with a view to ensuringsustainable environment for both the current generation and those yet unborn. Suchmeasures include among others as follows plant regeneration efforts such as shelter beltsand wind breakers, nationalistic feelings, emphasis on the proportion of land area to beunder cultivation and the need to as well encourage the rearing of leguminous plantspecies, construction of sand fences, land reclamation efforts, enactment of executablelaws by the government of the day, Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration effort (FMNR)laws by the government of the day, Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration effort (FMNR)that relates to reforesting degraded landscape has been claimed to have translated infarmers regenerating about 30,000km2 of land area in Niger among others. This canpossibly be practiced in the Nigerian environment as well.3. Soil erosion

The term soil erosion literarily means the removal of some soil resource from one location to another. But, in the opinion of Morgan (1983), Jimoh, (1997) soil erosion has been defined as the removal of soil resource from one location to another with imprints at both the origin and destination sites. The imprints are usually one of loss of soil nutrient status at the origin and sedimentation problems at the destination sites. In either locations, the consequences are many and hazardous and dangerous as well.

Essentially, in the opinions of Cooke and Doornkamp, (1974) and Toy, (1982) soil

erosion may be in the form of geologic or accelerated. Geologic type of soil erosion is a

situation where soil loss takes place under the influence of gravitational force. But, in the

case of accelerated soil erosion, it relates to a situation where soil erosion is taking

place as a result of human interference within the environmental system. Further,

another dimension that soil erosion can also possibly adopt is that it may be in the form

of rill, sheet or gully type. As a matter of fact, rill erosion represent a situation whereof rill, sheet or gully type. As a matter of fact, rill erosion represent a situation where

narrow grooves are created due to erosion ravages. Sheet erosion on the other hand

represents a situation where erosion removes uniform depth of soil resource from a

surface. Indeed, the impact of this erosion type can be grievous. But, gully erosion on

the other hand can be defined according to the Dictionay of the geological term to mean

‘any erosional channel that is so wide and deep that cannot be crossed by a wheeled

vehicle’. This therefore means that gully erosion is an erosional stage that is almost

irreversible (see plate 7).

Plate 7: A typical incident of gully erosion

Factors of soil erosionThis soil resource plundering agent are usually precipitated due to the following factorsof rainfall and its characteristics, topography, geology, soil and its characteristics, andland management techniques. As a matter of fact, meaningful impressions about thesesoil erosion factors can only be achieved when their effects are jointly viewed(Coleman, 1981; Selby, 1981).Problems of soil erosion

The problems of soil erosion have assumed different dimensions and intensity aswell. As a matter of fact, Jimoh, (2002) has put the amalgam of soil erosion problemstogether thus in Imo state of Nigeria about 120,000km2 of land has been ravaged bygully erosion, eight villages have been destroyed and 30,000 people have had to beresettled due to gully erosion in the district (Personal communication, 1979). Recently,resettled due to gully erosion in the district (Personal communication, 1979). Recently,the erosion damage in the Imo and Anambra states in Nigeria has been estimated ascausing loss of over 20 tons of fertile soil resource per annum, which amounted to acost of over 300million Naira ($2.5 million) per annum, with gullies extending to depthsof over 120metres and up to 2km wide in some places (Adeleke and Leong, 1980). In1994, about 5000 people were rendered homeless due to erosion in Katsina state ofNigeria, while properties worth over 400 million naira ($3.5million) and many lives werelost as well (Adeniran, 1993). Generally, the most affected areas include Agulu andNanka districts of the former eastern states of Nigeria. Other areas include Shendamand western Pankshin areas of Jos plateau state, Auchi in Edo state, Efon Alaaye inOndo state, Ankpa and Okene in Kogi state, Gombe in Bauchi state, among others(see fig 1).

Fig. 1:Soil Erosion Disaster areas in Nigeria. Source: Oyegun, R.O (1986)

Essentially, in all of these areas, buildings and other structures face a lot of damage and dangerfrom soil erosional attack as well.Suggested responses to soil erosion problems

In addressing the problems of soil erosion, it requires the need to recognize the existenceof the problem especially at its incipient stage. Thus, the following measures are being proposed asfollows: Bufa strip, crop rotation, conservation tillage, cultivation of cover crops, contour bounding,mulching, cultivating perennial cops to avoid frequent soil disturbances, reforestation efforts, stripfarming, vegetating water ways, terracing, planting of trees to serve as wind breakers in winderosion prone areas alone and the planting of grasses over eroded surfaces in all areas as theyhave the powers to break the impact of rainfall at ground level, adoption of environmental educationamong others.4. Policy Issues in the Management of these geomorphic problems

These geomorphic events along with cataclysmic consequences require some policy issues These geomorphic events along with cataclysmic consequences require some policy issues with a view to addressing the problems properly. Such policy efforts relates to the following suggestions as follows:(a) The adoption of environmental education beginning from primary schools through to university

level of learning. Such effort must consider in some details the manner of man environment interactions and the attendant implications among others.

(b) Partnering with Corporations, States and other Nations to fight the menace. This practice has yielded much success in Niger Republic where Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) has succeeded in desert reclamation. This effort in part encourages forest regeneration over degraded landscape. Importantly, between 1980 and now in Niger, a land area of about 30,000km2 has been regenerated. In Ethiopia, Humbo Assisted Regeneration Project uses FMNR technique with high level of success. Then, this effort will likely work in the Nigerian environment as well.

(c) Enactment of laws to guide the conduct of Man – Environment Interactions. Such lawsshould spell out in part to encourage forest regeneration and also the associated penalties forthe defaulters. Such penalties for defaulters should cover reasonable fines, jail terms rangingfrom fifty thousand naira for cutting down a tree, burrowing pits without refill to attract similarcharge among others. In addition, the mechanisms for implementations of such laws must beclear and unambiguous.(d) The need to change our thinking about the environmental system being the only assetavailable for human existence. This means that, environmental system should be seen as lifeand therefore be patriotic in the use as well.(e) The need to provoke the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) as

it has a legal sole responsibility that binds International agreement linking environment andit has a legal sole responsibility that binds International agreement linking environment anddevelopment to sustainable land development.(f) Reforestation and tree regeneration efforts. For example, for every one tree destroyed orvandalized, two or more trees are immediately planted in its place.(g) Enrichment and hyper fertilizing of soil through planting.(h) Fixation of soil advancement through the use of sand fences, shelter belts and windbreakers (see Plate 8).

Plate 8: From wasteland to vineyard. Ground water and

underground channels help this vineyard flourish on land

reclaimed from desert pavement in China's Turpan Depression.

5. Conclusion

Issues relating to deforestation, desertification and erosion have constituted as all important

or topical issue in the Nigerian environment. Although, each of the geomorphic event

appears to have specific causal factors, diverse and at times similar consequences along

with management attentions. But, these environmental menace that threatens human

comfort, existence and environmental sustainability have attracted a number of policy issues

as earlier discussed.

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