AGRICULTURAL LAND USE PRACTICES AND INTENSITY OF ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION IN NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA’S ARABLE FARMING LANDSCAPE

Abstract

Arable land is the most important agricultural production input. Land use, coupled with management practices is the key instrument for achieving environmental security, increase in yield and productivity. This study examined the agricultural land use practices and intensity of environmental degradation among arable farming households in North central Nigeria. A survey of 356 households was used to generate household level data using a well-structured questionnaire. The data collected were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics like means and ordered logistic regression analysis (Ologit). Results showed that land is cultivated intensely and on a continuous basis with mixed-cropping and complete tillage commonly practiced by 83.2% and 67.4% of the farmers, respectively. On the average, arable farmers perceived environmental degradation as having high intensity (2.46) on their farmland. Agricultural land use practices like complete tillage, more frequent weeding, land conflicts, farming on sloppy farmlands increased the intensity of environmental degradation while practices like herbicide use reduced it. The study concluded that improving land use practices is, therefore, a pre-requisite for sustainable agriculture, which is itself a necessary condition for environmental conservation. Hence, extension agents should organize proper teaching of farmers in rural areas on the best ways to cultivate and harvest crops and to take due caution in the choice of equipment for land clearing as well as the technique of land clearing in order to minimize injury to the environment.