Land degradation: Theory and evidence from the north-west zone of Nigeria

This study discusses land degradation in the context of its definition, classification and the theories in environmental economics explaining the phenomenon. The study also discusses the causes of land degradation in the north-west zone of Nigeria and their associated consequences. The locations surveyed were the Rano and Danbatta Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) zones of Kano State and the Funtua and Ajiwa ADP zones of Katsina State. For each ADP zone, a sample of 60 farmers were randomly selected, giving a total sample size of 240 farmers. Data were collected between 2002 and 2003 using structured questionnaire and were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results showed the major causes of land degradation to include farm vegetation burning, existence of attenuated property rights over land, forest and woodland destruction, overgrazing, increased intensity of farming and contraction of fallows, low-input agriculture, erosion, absence of regulations on land use and absence of a social organisational. structure conducive to a sustainable use of land. The recommendations made included: preparation of simple and well-illustrated materials to increase public awareness of the problem of land degradation; discouraging the burning of farmlands preparatory to planting; assignment of secure, inheritable and transferable land rights to individuals and groups; supplemental applications of inorganic and organic amendments to land; adoption of concrete mechanisms to foster participation and action towards sustainable use and management of land and the adoption of environmentally benign agricultural production technologies such as well-designed rotations of crop mixtures, crop-livestock integration and agroforestry systems. © 2007 Asian Network for Scientific Information.