On major environmental problem of desertification in Northern Nigeria with sustainable efforts to managing it

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to show the extent of desertification and land degradation as threat to sustainable environmental, agricultural and land development in the Sahel of Nigeria with its consequences; with also some efforts to control desertification. Design/methodology/approach – Several desertification attenuation projects in Nigeria are employing different methods for maximum benefits obtainable from the objectives) of the particular project. Specific methods will be cited for particular projects mentioned as appropriate. It is noted however that environmental impact assessment, community reconnaissance or needs assessments were initial part of pre-project activities. Findings – Desertification has reached an alarming state in Nigeria. The frontline desert threatened States of Nigeria constitute 40 per cent of the land mass of the country. With increased pressure of desertification, exacerbated by a period of prolonged drought of about 20 years, climate change and human activities, it is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain sustainability in the management of the fragile lands and the region’s ecosystem. Strategic interventions in combating the problem of desertification in Nigeria have attenuated some of the detrimental social, economic and environmental impacts on the affected communities of the Sahel of the country. Programmes and projects are designed to strengthen the resilience of the people in the affected region with sound ecosystems’ management; support the efforts of the communities resulting in increased agricultural yields. Programmes and projects have strengthened the resilience of the people, participating in sand dune stabilization, the Great Green Wall Sahara Sahel Initiative and other shelterbelt development. Government has sustained inputs in environmentally friendly agriculture and also encouraged synergetic collaborative activities with national agencies, international agencies and local institutions. Originality/value – These results/activities give evidence of the increased public awareness of environmental degradation due to desertification in Nigeria; the realization in environmental stabilization needs with ready participation of the communities for improved livelihoods in arid agriculture; resulting in internalization of these problems for Nigeria.

Attenuation of the effects of desertification through sustainable development of Great Green Wall in the Sahel of Africa

“…From the above, it could be seen that Nigeria takes development of GGW in its Sahel region very seriously and the purpose of this paper is to report on the development of GGW in the frontline desert threatened states of Nigeria which occupy some 43 percent of the land mass of the country in the far northern region. This area lies within the Sudano-Sahelian West Africa which stretches from Senegambia to Somalia in the East – a land mass located within latitudes 10°-14° North and longitudes 3° and 14° east (Gadzama and Ayuba, 2016). They are collectively regarded as “frontline states” because they mostly share common boundary with the Sahelian Niger Republic.…”

“…Some villages land major access roads have been buried under sand dunes in the extreme northern parts of Katsina, Sokoto, Jigawa, Borno and Yobe states. Also examples are the receding Lake Chad and increase in gully erosion that hitherto was not a major threat, now claiming about 18,400 km 2 (which was only 122 km 2 in 1976/1978) (FME, 2008; Musa et al , 2008; Gadzama and Ayuba, 2016).…”

“…The pressure of migrating human and livestock populations from these states are being absorbed by buffer states resulting in an intensive use and degradation of the fragile and marginal ecosystems of these areas, even during years of normal rainfall. The buffer states are reported to have about 10-15 percent of their land areas threatened by desertification (Gadzama, 1995; Tiffen and Mortimore, 2002; FGN, 2004; Winslow et al , 2004; Gadzama and Ayuba, 2016).…”

“… Early control efforts in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.Efforts at desertification control in Nigeria started during the colonial era with effective rural participation (Gadzama and Ayuba, 2016). The colonialist focused attention on forest reservation.…”

“…The vision evolved into an integrated ecosystem management approach in January 2007, when the African Union (AU) adopted declaration 137 VIII, approving the “Decision on the Implementation of the Green Wall for the Sahara Initiative.” In June 2010, Burkina Faso, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Sudan signed a convention in Ndjamena, Chad to implement the GGW. AU considers GGW as a special Program, thereby recently upgrading it to the status of a Pan African Agency with its headquarters located in Nouakchott, Mauritania and administered by a Director General (Gadzama and Ayuba, 2016).…”