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In 2005, Nigeria had the highest rate of deforestation in the world, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). [6] Deforestation in Nigeria is caused by logging, subsistence agriculture, and the collection of wood for fuel. According to the gfy, deforestation has wiped out nearly 90% of Africa's forest.
The United Nations estimate that about 30% of land is degraded worldwide, and about 3.2 billion people reside in these degrading areas, giving a high rate of environmental pollution. [2] Land degradation reduces agricultural productivity, leads to biodiversity loss, and can reduce food security as well as water security.
Several methods can combat deforestation in Nigeria: Implementing alley cropping, timber tree planting, mined area rehabilitation, and private sector tree planting [76] [77] to restore forest cover and ecosystem services. Enforcing government laws, promoting eco-forestry practices, and encouraging the use of alternative energy sources. [78] [79]
The escalation of climate variability in Nigeria has led to heightened and irregular rainfall patterns, exacerbating land degradation and resulting in more severe floods and erosion. As one of the top ten most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change, Nigeria has experienced a worsening of these environmental challenges.
Fuel wood utilization in Nigeria has significant environmental impacts, which include deforestation and loss of forest ecosystems, air pollution, loss of biodiversity, soil erosion and land degradation, water resource depletion, disruption of local ecosystems and associated health concerns, as well as contributing to climate change through carbon emissions.
According to Global Assessment of Land Degradation and Improvement (GLADA) a quarter of land area around the globe can now be marked as degraded. Land degradation is supposed to influence lives of 1.5 billion people and 15 billion tons of fertile soil is lost every year due to anthropogenic activities and climate change. [29]
By 1998, Nigeria has 196,000 ha and 704 ha in protected areas outside the forest reserves. Between 1985 and 2005, three percent of Nigeria's forest reserves were plantations. [4] In 2010, Nigeria had a total plantation area of 382,000 ha. Gmelina and teak make up about 44 percent of the total trees in the plantation. [6]
The direct consequence of desertification on land degradation manifests as either reduced land productivity or the complete abandonment of agricultural land, ultimately contributing to the food crises frequently witnessed in arid and semi-arid regions, especially in Africa.