Desertification, Definition, Causing and Solution

Desertification, Definition, Causing and Solution

Introduction

Desertification is one of the major ecological problems facing the Northern region with Nasarawa inclusive. In Nasarawa local government area, it has and still threatening the livelihood of the rural farmers. Nasarawa local government of Nasarawa state like many other areas of the north is currently been threatened with desertification problem which has worsened the socio-economic and environmental condition of the people. Practical evidence shows that significant number of rural farmers in  Nasarawa Local Government area live below poverty level due to asymmetrical relationship between poverty and land degradation resulting from desertification.

Definition of Desertification

Desertification can be seen as a type of land degradation in dry lands in which biological productivity is lost due to natural processes or induced by human activities whereby fertile land becomes arid. It can also be seen as a type of land degradation in which a relatively dry land region becomes increasingly arid, typically losing its’ bodies of water.

Causes of desertification in Nasarawa

• Overgrazing: Overgrazing occurs when the consumption of vegetation biomass by livestock and other grazers (e.g., wildlife) exceeds the vegetation’s ability to recover in a timely fashion, thus exposing the soil and reducing the vegetation’s productive capacity. In Nasarawa animal grazing is a huge problem in different parts of the town as cattle  and other livestock are seen feeding on the vegetation to a devastating stage where the land / vegetation hardly recover.  Otherwise stated, overgrazing takes place when vegetation or pasture is repeatedly removed from the land, and it is not given enough time to continue growing.

In Nasarawa overgrazing overgrazing signifies a serious environmental challenge in maintaining the natural balance of livestock on grazing lands, which reduces the productivity, usefulness, and biodiversity of the land. Overgrazing is mostly caused by the lack of proper animal and wildlife feeding management on the available pasture is the leading cause of overgrazing.

• Deforestation: Deforestation is the removal of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use.

Deforestation is a great environmental issue in Nasarawa as the trees are cut down on a daily basis for the production of charcoals and firewood for cooking and clearance of the forest for agricultural purposes.

Deforestation – a removal of trees without sufficient reforestation has resulted in habitat damage, biodiversity loss, and aridity. Deforestation causes extinction, changes to climatic conditions, desertification, and displacement of populations, as observed by current conditions and in the past through the fossil record. Deforestation also reduces biosequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide, increasing negative feedback cycles contributing to global warming. Global warming also puts increased pressure on communities who seek food security by clearing forests for agricultural use and reducing arable land more generally.

• Excessive use of Fertilizer and Pesticides: Chemical fertiliser overuse can contribute to soil acidification and soil crust, thereby reducing the content of organic matter, humus content, beneficial species, stunting plant growth, altering the pH of the soil, growing pests, and even leading to the release of greenhouse gases.

The use of excessive amounts of fertilizer and pesticides by farmers in Nasarawa local government to maximize their crop yields in the short terms often leads to significant damages for the soil and the environmental condition in general. In the long run, this may turn from arable into arid land and it will no longer be suitable for farming purposes after a few years.

The adverse effect of chemical fertilizers and pesticides itself begins with the processing of chemicals whose products and by-products are certain harmful chemicals or gases that cause air pollution, such as NH₄, CO₂, CH₄, etc. And it will cause water pollution when the waste from industries is disposed of untreated in nearby water bodies. It also involves the most damaging impact of the accumulation of chemical waste in the bodies of water, i.e. water eutrophication. And its constant use, when applied to the soil, degrades the health and quality of the soil, thereby causing soil contamination.

• Over drafting of ground water: Ground water is the fresh water found under ground and also one of the largest water source. Over drafting is the process in which ground water is extracted in excess of the equilibrium yield of the aquifer that is pumping or the excessive pulling up of groundwater from the underground aquifers.

Extracting too much water (overdrafting) can lead to negative impacts such as a drop of the water table, land subsidence, and loss of surface water reaching the streams. In extreme cases, the supply of water that naturally recharges the aquifer is pulled directly from streams and rivers, lowering their water levels.

• Mining: Mining is another big reason for desertification in Nasarawa local government. Mining is the process of extracting useful minerals from the Earth, including the seas. A mineral, with a few exceptions, is an inorganic substance occurring in nature that has a definite chemical composition and distinctive physical properties or molecular structure.

Nasarawa is blessed with many solid minerals which the state as a whole is known as home of solid minerals. Minerals such Barite, Coal, Clay, Lead-Zinc, Sault, Gemstone, Silica Sand, Iron Ore, Granite, Tantalite, Marble, Mica, Cassiterite, Limestone, Aquamarine are mined in Nasarawa on a large scale. Years of uncontrolled mining of solid minerals and precious stones have turned many farmlands into pits. A field where peasant farmers used to plant rice and fruits is now an industrial site from where cracking noise from bulldozers and dynamites steals the sleep of residents.

For Mining, large areas of land have to be used, which causes deforestation as well as pollution of the nearby waters. By the time most of the natural resources have been extracted, and mining practices are no more profitable, the soil gets damaged significantly and the land becomes arid which may not be recoverable and desertification occurs.

The excessive mining in Nasarawa can result in erosion, sinkholes, loss of biodiversity, or the contamination of soil, groundwater, and surface water by the chemicals emitted from mining processes, thus causing desertification. These processes also affect the atmosphere from the emissions of carbon which have an effect on the quality of human health and biodiversity.

Solution to the problems of desertification in Nasarawa Local Government

1. Integrating land and water management to protect soil from erosion, and other forms of degradation. One of the key actions to combat desertification is water management — saving, reuse of treated water, rainwater harvesting, desalination, or direct use of seawater for salt-loving plants, as well as re-injection in the system after a new treatment. The availability of clean water, especially for regions in which fresh water is not readily available through groundwater or freshwater sources such as rivers and lakes, often requires water production via saline water sources.
2. By protecting the vegetative cover which can be a major instrument for soil conservation against wind and water.
3. By integrating the use of land for grazing and farming where conditions are favorable, allowing for a more efficient cycling of nutrients within the agricultural system.
4. Applying a combination of traditional practices with locally acceptable and locally adapted land use technology.
5. Giving the local communities the capacity to prevent desertification and to manage dry land resources effectively
6. The government of the state should place more emphasize to people living in Nasarawa local government to make more use of irrigation farming

REFERENCES

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Climate Change Challenge.org. (2012). Climate change. Retrieved from May 11, 2012, from http://www.climatechangechallenge.org

Dregne, H. E. (1986). Desertification of Arid Land. http://www.ciesin.coloubia.edu
Emodi, E.E., (2013). Drought and Desertification as they affect Nigerian Environment. Journal of Environmental Management Safety. 4(1): 45-54