Land degradation in Northern Nigeria: The impacts and implications of human-related and climatic factors

摘要: Northern Nigeria despite its promising agricultural potential, is currently not enjoying economic bloom like Southern counterpart as a result of political, religious, ethnic and socio-economic factors. The degradation land resulting impact on other resources may have further exacerbated the social conditions region. perceived encroachment Nigeria’s Savannah into rainforest zone indicated possible degradation. Some authors attributed this to anthropogenic sources whilst others reported climatic variability (which nature-driven) singular culprit. Therefore, study reviews impacts implications both human-related factors in Nigeria. Human-related activities such agricultural/pastoral expansion, intensification fuel-wood extraction well climatic/physical rainfall land-atmosphere feedback mechanisms were suggested by various agents remediation strategies reduce include practice agroforestry, rainwater harvesting, local irrigation techniques, utilization wetter sites, contour ridging terracing conserve nutrient water run-off, cautionary expansion cultivated maintenance viable seed stock well-suited variable conditions. recommendations made conflict between crop farmers pastoralists federal government-assisted project build more waterpoints at strategic areas region agropastoralism. However, controversy over cause Africa has led number research questions itemised paper main degradation, elements climate inducing dryness wetness region, extent recovery when wet seasons return.