A comprehensive approach to addressing drought and desertification in Nigeria

Abstract

In the 1970s, the United Nations identified desertification as a global threat to environmental sustainability. While the concept of dryland degradation has long and always existed, desertification on the other hand implies the rapid spread of the degradation of vast land and its productivity throughout the world, notably in Africa and Asia. Modern desertification, as the case is in Nigeria, often arises from the demands of increased populations that settle on the land in order to grow crops and graze animals. The extent and severity of desertification in Nigeria has not been fully established neither has the rate of its progression been properly recognized. However, it is estimated that the country is currently losing about 351,000 hectares of its landmass to desert conditions annually, and such conditions are estimated to be advancing southwards at the rate of about 0.6km per year. Desertification, which is affecting the 11 northern states, is considered the most pressing environmental problem. The purpose of this study is to evaluate current government policies in addressing desertification and to offer new measures based on the findings of the study. The study has found out that the reasons for the failure of current government policies are numerous including the government’s top-down approach, inconsistency of government policies, neglect of indigenous knowledge, use of inappropriate technology, sectoral approach, inadequate funding, inadequate awareness, etc. Having identified the causes of the problem, this study proposes new measures to combat desertification and mitigate the effect of drought in Nigeria.