Effects Of Rice Production Systems On Perceived Soil Degradation In Ekiti State, Nigeria

Effects Of Rice Production Systems On Perceived Soil Degradation In Ekiti State, Nigeria

Chapiter 1

Introduction

1.1 The study’s history

Soil erosion has been and continues to be the biggest threat to soil production since humans first practiced agriculture [1]. This is because it has been repeatedly demonstrated via study and historical data that removing topsoil by any means has numerous negative consequences on the soil’s ability to produce as well as on the health of the environment. The impact of soil erosion was described by Doran and Parkin [2] in their well-known proverb, “The thin layer of soil covering the earth’s surface represents the difference between survival and extinction for most terrestrial life.” Although powerful machinery could scrape away fertile topsoils [3], water erosion and wind erosion are the main ways that topsoil is lost. Sometimes erosion can be so gradual over such a long period of time that it escapes observation during one’s lifetime, making its negative impacts difficult to notice.

Eswaran et al.’s [4] estimate that the world loses 75 billion tons of soil year, which costs the world around $400 billion. A analysis of the global agronomic effects of soil erosion separates the continents into two severity categories and finds that Africa is in the more vulnerable category [5]. The main problem limiting soil productivity and hindering agricultural endeavor in the entire humid tropical region appears to be soil erosion by water [6]. This is apparent throughout Africa [7], particularly in the humid and subhumid regions of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where population pressure and deforestation worsen the situation and the rains come in torrential downpours, with the annual soil loss estimated to be over 50 tons ha1 [8].

Because wind erosion is so prevalent in the semiarid and arid regions of Nigeria, the issue is not just with water erosion. For instance, the West African Sahel recently recorded soil loss due to wind erosion of 58–80 tons ha1 [9]. Thus, the two types of erosion effectively describe land deterioration in the area. The colloidal portions of soils are selectively detached by soil erosion and carried away in runoff [10, 11]. This soil’s fertility, aggregation, structural stability, and favorable pore size distribution depend on the colloidal fractions of clay and humus. Due to illuviation, the concentration of humus is typically higher in topsoils whereas the concentration of clay is typically higher in subsoils. This is especially true in the common Ultisols found in Africa. This suggests that humus is more quickly degraded than clay, its inorganic cousin, while having a far greater capacity to store water and nutrient ions [12].

1.2 Problem formulation

A short or long-term decline in ecosystem function and productivity is indicated by land degradation. It might be used to describe the deterioration or destruction of a terrestrial ecosystem, which would have an impact on the biodiversity, ecological processes, and resilience of the ecosystem. Additionally, it takes into account the decline in biological and economic production as well as the complexity of croplands, pastures, woodlands, and forests, etc. Around 1.5 billion people are impacted by the deterioration of over 20% of agricultural areas, 30% of forests, and 10% of grasslands worldwide. Numerous variables, including anthropogenic activities like unsustainable land management practices and climatic fluctuations, may contribute to this degradation alone or in combination (Bai et al., 2008). By exposing the soil surface to water and wind erosion, as well as salinization and water logging, which worsen the soil’s physical, chemical, and biological properties, land becomes degraded, losing some or all of its vegetative cover and its biophysical and economic productivity. The continued loss of vegetation due to salinization and human activities also reduces the capacity of the natural environment to store carbon, which has long-term effects on climate change and global warming. Overgrazing in the case of rangelands is particularly detrimental in arid regions. We can state categorically that in order to meet the enormous challenges we face in achieving our goal of a sustainable use of natural resources, we require effective programs to be implemented. Such conditions are surrounded by very complex problems that are emerging and have a negative impact on human well-being. Water and Land Needed to Grow Rice

1.3 Study’s objective

Examining how rice production practices affect perceived soil deterioration in Nigeria’s Ekiti state is the goal of this study. Particulars of the study

evaluate how rice production affects soil nutrients

the impact of rice growing practices on soil nutrients

Analyze the connection between soil deterioration and rice production.

importance of the research

It is essential to comprehend the dynamics of soil degradation in terms of its severity and extent. In order to use and manage soil resources sustainably, it is crucial to have knowledge of the dynamics of soil deterioration. In general, soil resources cannot be replenished. In order to combat low agricultural production, food insecurity, and its associated negative effects on poverty levels and population drift, it is crucial to prevent soil loss through improved management and conservation of the natural resources through sustainable use of land resources (Tekwa, Belel, and Alhassan, 2010).

In addition to increasing food production to fulfill the requirements of its growing population, Africa’s agriculture has the problem of preserving the soils’ potential for future productivity. Evidence also indicates that the expansion of agricultural operations onto marginal lands have extremely detrimental impacts on the quality of soils (Abubakar, 1995; Sherr and Yadav, 1996), despite the fact that land use intensification can boost food production in “high potential” areas (Barbier, 1997). The process of restoring degraded lands must be thorough and adhere to the idea of sustainable development. Providing adequate, reliable, and pertinent information on the types, amount, and severity of soil degradation is a useful strategy to combat the problem of soil degradation in Africa in general and Nigeria in particular. This can be accomplished by merging farmers’ impressions and knowledge of soil degradation phenomena into science-based approaches (quantification and analysis) for assessing soil deterioration. By fully utilizing the farmers’ expertise and dynamic knowledge of their environment, this will offer a realistic and all-encompassing method of assessing soil deterioration (Vigiak, Okoba, Sterk, and Stroosnijder, 2005; Stringer and Reed, 2006).

Study premise

The research premise is:

HO: Soil erosion and rice yield are not significantly correlated.

H1: Soil deterioration and rice production are significantly correlated.

Study’s Purpose and Limitations

The focus of the study is restricted to examining how rice production practices affect how the soil is seen to be degrading in Ekiti State, Nigeria. The investigation was constrained by its limited time and budget.

Arrangement of the study

There are five chapters in the study. The study is introduced in this chapter, which serves as its opening chapter. A review of the relevant literature is presented in Chapter 2. The research methodology is presented in Chapter 3; the data analysis, interpretation, and discussion of the findings are presented in Chapter 4. An overview of the conclusions and suggestions is provided in chapter five.