A comparison of soil degradation under smallholder farming and large‐scale irrigation land use in Kano State, Northern Nigeria

Abstract

AbstractChanges in soil properties under two land use types: smallholder farms and large‐scale irrigated agriculture were investigated over a period of 13 and 14 years respectively using the following parameters: particle size distribution, soil pH, exchangeable cations, cation exchange capacity, total organic carbon and nitrogen and total and available potassium and phosphorus. Results indicate that more adverse changes took place in soils under large‐scale irrigation than in those under smallholder farms during the periods under consideration. Agricultural sustainability is more likely to be achieved for smallholder farms than for large‐scale irrigation where soil degradation resulting from loss of fine soil particles through erosion can be a serious hindrance to long‐term land use. In order to achieve agricultural sustainability in Kano State, it is recommended that chemical fertilizers be incorporated into the smallholder farming system, while the adoption of suitable soil conservation practices would make the large‐scale irrigation systems more stable and sustainable.