Effect Of Soil Erosion On Agriculture

Soil erosion is recognized as one of the world’s most serious environmental problems (Pimentel et al 1995, Shiferaw and Holden, 1999). Globally, about 80% of the current degradation of agricultural land is caused by soil erosion. In most developing countries, including Nigeria, human activity triggers these losses this is associated with rapid population growth, inadequate attention to the basic natural resources S.W.V (soils, water and vegetation), and the need to maximize production to meet the needs of the growing population This situation is more serious in poor developing countries like Nigeria  where subsistence production predominates. Soil is one of the natural resources on Planet Earth. Though soil is a renewable natural resource, yet it can become finite, with the passage of time, through its degradation. In Nigeria soil erosion is a problem and there are several causes for this. These causes are in fact various factors as a result of which soil erosion takes place. Some of the contributing factors are certain agricultural practices of conventional agriculture and environmental problems. There is a universal acceptance that such agricultural practices degrade the soil. This study deliberate to explore the prevention of soil erosion problems and damage of the environmental component such as the effects of agricultural production and land degradation that soil erosion caused in asaba, Delta state. The main objective of this study is to know the possible cause and effect of soil erosion on agricultural production in asaba, delta state. And to be sought further in this study was be as follows: The aim of this thesis is to have clear understanding the cause and effect of soil erosion on agricultural production from the environment and the necessity to implement conservation measures in the study area.  The study is carried out in asaba which is located in delta state.   The study was used a descriptive co-relational design; the study also was used a cross sectional, comparative and ex-post facto designs. Descriptive in that data collected was used to describe a phenomenon; co-relational in that it was interested in relating cause and effect of soil erosion on agricultural production in asaba, delta state. Both soil causes and effect of soil are major drivers of land degradation and pose key problems to livelihoods of the community members in the study area. Sheet, rill and gully erosion are the main types of erosion within the study area and the latter form of erosion, namely gully erosion, is the most alarming problem removing huge quantities of soil, dissecting land and damaging infrastructure. Deterioration in soil fertility as a result of severe soil erosion is a critical deterrent to crop production and a lack of fodder has been a major factor in the decline in agricultural production production. As charcoal is the major source of energy for cooking in the study area, deforestation has seriously depleted forest resources. This has compelled community members to travel long distances and spending significant amount of time for collection of wood.