THE INFLUENCE OF SOIL GEOMORPHIC CHARACTERISTICS ON AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY

CHAPTER

INTRODUCTION

 Background of the study

 Geomorphic processes shape the Earth surface, and pedogenic processes produce soil horizons from parent material; this course deals with how these two groups of processes overlap and interact. That is, the work of geomorphic processes affects soil formation, for example, when stream sediment is deposited on an existing floodplain soil. At the same time, the development of soil horizons can alter the effectiveness of geomorphic processes such as hillslope erosion. Both geomorphic and pedogenic processes cannot really be separated from the rest of the ecosystems in which they occur; without landbased life of all kinds, Earth’s landscapes and soils would be very different.

Nigeria is a developing country that is facing diverse environmental problems. Soil erosion is one of the major environmental problems affecting the living condition of the peasant farmers. This remains the biggest challenge to the economic development of the country that is basically agrarian as it lowers yield and halts its growth. Factors including poor land use management practices, rapid population growth, and inequitable land tenure were cited as the major causes of soil erosion, besides intensity of rainfall, soils and terrain nature (Abayomi, 2012).

Although many regions of the country have been facing severe soil erosion, the situation is particularly more pronounced in the ecologically vulnerable areas of the northeastern part of the country. According to Okoye (2009), the northeastern region has the highest susceptibility rates of erosion in Nigeria, because its soils are mainly light and susceptible to erosion. Even though, the region, receives a relatively low amount of rainfall, the rains normally have large raindrop sizes and are of high intensities, usually commencing when there is little or no vegetation to offer protection to the soil. While the slopes of the highlands which dominate the region accelerate run- off which subsequently encourages soil erosion.

Unfortunately, despite the vulnerability status of the northeastern region to soil erosion, recent agricultural activities in the sloppy areas of the northern part of Taraba State have increased, however, unlike in the other areas in the humid tropic and subtropical regions where the recent human impact of agricultural use on hill slope areas has increased because of population pressure and the influence of developmental activities, this was, while, flatland areas exist. Hence, the question remains, why are farmers in this region engaged in this practice? Could this mean they do not understand the magnitude of soil erosion problems prone to hill slopes? An attempt to answer these questions prompted this present research.

Although, several types of researches have been conducted on  on-farm soil erosion in Nigeria generally, and in the study region in particular, but most of them have been focused on the quantitative assessment of the magnitude of soil erosion. Very few studies focused attention on the qualitative assessment of soil erosion using farmers’ perception of soil erosion and their conservation measures. Some experts believe that due to the insidious nature of pervasiveness of soil erosion, farmers may be ignorant of its seriousness and reluctant to response (Amsalu & de Graaff, 2006; Dalton, et al., 2014). While, many issues and decisions on on-farm soil erosion and its effects cannot be addressed solely through technical expertise because they need not only biophysical examination but also, perceptions and soil conservation understanding (Boardman et al., 2003). Thus, this forms the thrust of this study.

Farmers’ perceptions of soil erosion in the form of water erosion and fertility depletion and their conservation measures are the most significant social factors that determine the degree of understanding of soil erosion and its effects (Okoba & De Graaff, 2005). They influence the farmers’ levels of support and investment in the context of solving soil erosion and fertility depletion problems by adopting alternatives and conservation practices (Hammad & Borresen, 2006). Moreover, perceiving soil erosion as a problem by farmers is an important determinant of soil conservation (Vigiak et al., 2005). Bewket & Sterk (2002), had earlier reported that any conservation program might not be successful without prior understanding and consent of the concerned stakeholders, the farmers.

Similarly, as indicated by Kerr and Pender (2005), understanding changes associated with varying and dynamic land use system from the farmers’ perception is essential if proper intervention measures are to be advanced and long-term management strategies are to be successfully adopted. Moreover, most farmers, particularly the untrained ones, decide on how to use their land in line with their objectives and understanding of soil, ignoring any theoretical basis. Therefore, analyzing farmers’ perception will help in identifying problems and workable solution that are necessary requirements for successful conservation measures. Additionally, farmers' perception of soil erosion and their responses to soil degradation in the form of water erosion differ from area to area and from household to household depending on the prevailing ecological, economic, and sociocultural characteristics. Therefore, the results from elsewhere cannot extrapolate to the northern part of Taraba State.

This Study The Influence Of Soil Geomorphic Characteristics On Agricultural Productivity. A study like this will be able to reveal a wide range of variation in the ability of the farmers, and to understand the manner in which human being intervenes in such system and alternatively on how well to manage soil erosion problems the canal factor of which is/ are anthropogenic.

Statement of the problem

 Soil erosion has been recognized as the major environmental problem in Nigeria in general and in the northeastern region in particular. It is usually manifested in the informed of rills/gullies and fertility decline. It reduces soil productivity and increases vulnerability to drought and consequently food insecurity. Hence, this unveils danger of soil erosion and the needs for a concerted effort in the fight against its effects.

In most regions or communities across the country, productivity of land is safeguarded to feed the ever-increasing population just at a time when agricultural efforts are focused on increasing crop yields. Consequently, in the study region, farmers are farming on the erosion prone areas such as hill slopes as well as flooded plains disregarding the flatlands provided by nature. Given this ominous development, understanding farmers’ perception of soil erosion and their conservation measures remain essential to any program to improve food security and development.

Although, many researches have been conducted on on-farm soil erosion in Nigeria generally and in the study region, in particular, few or no study has been conducted to investigate farmers’ perception of soil erosion and their conservation measures. Moreover, such few studies are scanty, far between, and concentrated in areas surrounding major research institutes and our older universities. The main reasons for these scanty and skewed efforts are that most soil erosion studies were performed off- farm. Few research projects were on-farm and included the participation of farmers. In addition, soil erosion studies in Nigeria have not been given the requisite research attention and funding. Consequently, most soil erosion studies are self-sponsored by lecturers to gain promotion.

Perhaps the reasons why such few studies could not shed much light on the nature of on-farm soil erosion and conservation is that the studies are essentially either on an experimental assessment of the magnitude of soil erosion, or are quantitative in nature derived from experimental plots. Birmingham (2003), stressed that such studies hardly provide an inhabitant perception of soil erosion and their conservation measures. While, perceiving soil erosion, as a problem by farmers is an important determinant of conservation practices, which is vital to the achievement of food security, poverty reduction, and environmental sustainability. In addition, to providing a guide to researchers and agricultural extension personnel in refining their research and conservation agenda to respond to the needs felt by farmers. Moreover, the few research projects on the inhabitant perception of soil erosion and conservation in Nigeria are more focused on the southwestern and eastern parts of the country, which have a different geographical settings from the study region. The only references to on-farm soil erosion and conservation based on farmers’ perception in the northern part of Nigeria, especially, the north-eastern part to which this study region belongs to the knowledge of the present researcher are those of Adebayo & Tukur (2003); Hoffmann et al., (2001); Thapa &Yila (2012), even so all these researchers independently used only sole locations (villages) in north-eastern Nigeria for their studies and such studies are not in themselves representative of northern part of Taraba State of Nigeria. Hence, it is glaring that the northern part of Taraba state is a neglected area in terms of research on the inhabitant perception of soil erosion and conservation under agricultural land. There is no doubt, therefore, that the present study is carried out in the study region to bridge this existing research gap. Moreover, the study will complement the existing similar few studies from other parts of the country.

Furthermore, in face of the rapidly growing population and people needs food to survive, while soil erosion remaining the single largest threat to soil productivity and hence food productivity and food security, researchers such as Kiage (2013); Lal (2009); Pimentel (2006), and notable institutions such as FAO (2011); FAO (2013); World Bank (2006), have challenged researchers to venture into assessing soil erosion and conservation under agricultural lands for sustainable food production in the world and sub-Saharan African countries in particular and Nigeria inclusive. There is no doubt, therefore, that this study on farmers’ perception on soil erosion and their conservation measures in the northern part of Taraba state, Nigeria, is timely and highly pertinent to bridge this existing gap at a local level. Given that, local scale studies such as this are critical to the design of regional appropriate soil conservation and economic development interventions. Thus, the present research is targeted towards generating a base-line data and or information for further similar research works in the study region.

It was, therefore, the aim of this research to investigate farmers' perception of soil erosion and their soil conservation practices, with a view to gain a better understanding of farmers’ reason for cultivating hill slopes, while, there were flat land areas in the study region. This desire was connected with the agricultural, residential, engineering and industrial support potentials of the study region.

Research Aim

 The aim of this study is on Influence Of Soil Geomorphic Characteristics On Agricultural Productivity

Research objectives (RO) and Research questions (RQ)

RO1. To examine farmers’ perception on soil erosion

1. What are the socio-economic characteristics of farmers in the study region?
2. RQ. How farmers do perceive soil erosion by water and their preferences for cultivating hill slopes in the study region?

• RQ. What    are    the    farmers’    perceived    causes,    indicators,    effects   and consequences of soil erosion in the study region?

1. RQ. How farmers do perceive the trend of water erosion over the last ten years in the study region?

RO2. To assess farmers’ soil conservation measures for controlling soil erosion by water and fertility depletion.

1. RQ. What are the existing traditional knowledge, techniques, and practices used by farmers to halt soil erosion by water, and the depletion of soil fertility in the study region?
2. RQ. How farmers do perceived the existing traditional soil conservation methods in the study region?

• RQ. How do farmers’ perceived the trend of soil fertility depletion over the last ten years in the study region?

RO3. To evaluate farmers’ adoption of soil conservation measures in the study region

1. RQ. What types of services are needed by farmers to control soil erosion and fertility depletion in their farm?
2. Are the services giving to the farmers by extension agents adequate, timely, and frequent to control soil erosion and fertility depletion?

• What is the relationship between farmers’ adoption of soil conservation measures and their perception of water erosion and fertility depletion as a problem?

1. What is the relationship between the farmers’ perceived trend of water erosion and soil fertility depletion and their level of adoption of soil conservation measures?

Research Hypothesis

 Two hypotheses for farmers’ perceptions of water erosion and soil fertility versus of adoption of soil conservation were developed

1. If farmers are aware and perceive water erosion as a problem, they are much more likely to embrace the practices for soil erosion by water control
2. If farmers perceive depletion of soil fertility as a problem, they are more likely to adopt fertility control

Two hypotheses for farmer perceptions of the trend of soil erosion and fertility depletion versus the level of adoption of soil conservation measures were developed

1. If farmers perceived that water erosion is increasing over time, they increased the level of adoption of practices for water erosion control
2. If farmers perceived soil fertility degradation over time, they will increase the level of soil fertility control

The study region

The study was limited to the northern part of Taraba state, which is located between latitudes 60301 and 90361 N and longitudes 90101 and 110501 E. The study region  consists of six local government areas that were made up of six-two districts, and a range of between 21-47 major villages and approximately 305 to 874 households in each district and villages respectively. The study region has a total surface area of 16,719km2, a total population of 785.912 inhabitants in 2015, with a projected growth rate of 3.1 percent per year (NPC, 2016). Bounded by the research objectives and questions, and its spatial-temporal distribution, the study region was selected as a case study. A case study approach helps to contextualize the biophysical and socioeconomic factors that cause soil erosion in a particular locality.  The choice of the study region as a case study was based on four main reasons: –

1. Firstly, it is a neglected area in terms of research on inhabitant perception of soil erosion and conservation under agricultural lands.
2. Secondly, it represented the more severely degraded region in Taraba

• Thirdly, there is comparatively good information regarding physical, environmental attributes such as topography, climate, soils, and the socioeconomic

1. Fourthly, the significance of the study region in agricultural production in Taraba state in particular and Nigeria in

Scope of the study

The study mainly focuses on Influence Of Soil Geomorphic Characteristics On Agricultural Productivity. This was because the research region is a neglected area in terms of this study, while; the on-farm erosion phenomenon in the region requires an immediate understanding and solution in order to enhance agricultural productivity and soil fertility. The study was also limited to the accelerated soil erosion by water under agricultural lands; soil erosion by the wind was not included. This was because the effects of wind erosion are limited. The inhabitant who owns or have access to land; landowners and tenant inhabitants only were included as a sample, the landless inhabitants, who may or may not have a different perception of the problems were not included in the sample. Thus, the study mainly focuses on the issues mentioned above in the northern part of Taraba state due to the resource inadequacy and constraints.