AN INVESTIGATION OF THE IMPACT OF FLOODING ON AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY IN KADUNA STATE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

In the globalizing world today, Nigeria inclusive, the visible climate change impacts and global warming on fertility of soil and prospects for agricultural productivity occasioned particularly, by the prevailing challenges of flooding, erosion and excessive rainfalls (Anabaraonye, Okafor; & Chukwuma, 2019; Anabaraonye, Okafor, & Hope, 2018). These environmental threats that include erosion, flooding, drought, and desertification have continued to expose human beings to varieties of humanitarian concerns such as hunger and starvation, unemployment, poverty and disease (Anabaraonye, Okafor & Olamire, 2019, Birsel, 2019) including food insecurity.  According to Jeb and Aggarwal (2018), fflooding is a general condition of partial or complete inundation of normally dry areas from overflow of inland or tidal waters or from unusual and rapid accumulation of runoff.  In addition, Floods as noted by Odufuwa et al (2022) are the most frequent disaster and widespread natural hazards of the world. 

 UN-Water (2021) noted that floods have caused 84% disaster deaths in the world with an average of 20,000 deaths per year, which makes only a few countries immune to floods. Furthermore, flood can be very dangerous depending on the nature and level of water volume involved. According to Ikani (2016), flooding is the overflowing of water either as a result of torrential rainfall, a broken dam, a high rise in the volume of water in rivers, oceans or seas as a result of melting ice caps or prolong rainfall, thereby flooding its neighbouring environment and beyond. Moreso, growing population coupled with increased intensity of environmental extreme events like floods, droughts, extreme variability in temperature and rainfall has increased the pressure on the current food production systems which in turn, has heightened the current food insecurity crisis in most of the developing countries. 

In Kaduna state, the most persistent environmental challenge remains flood which normally occurs when flowing water submerges land areas that were not subjected to inundation before. However, several anthropogenic activities have contributed to worsening the event of flood disaster; such activities include industrialization, urbanization, population growth, utilization of environmental resources and infrastructural development. Agbonkhese, et al., (2023) posited that unlawful dropping of wastes, blockage and poor water evacuation system are causal-factors of flooding in Nigeria. Incidences of destructive floods have been recorded in different parts of Nigeria. For instance, the floods that occurred in Ibadan (1985, 1987, 1990, 2011), Osogbo (1992, 1996, 2002), Yobe (2000), Akure (1996, 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2006), Makurdi in 2008, Sokoto in 2010, Ogbaru and Oguta in 2012. In addition, the coastal cities of Kaduna, Yenegoa, Calabar, Uyo, Port Harcourt and Warri frequently experience floods(Akukwe and Ogbodo, 2015;Olajuyigbe, Rotowa,Durojaye, 2012) . Of all these floods, the most devastating had been noted to be the August-October 2012 in Nigeria which pushed rivers over their banks and submerged hundreds of kilometres of urban and rural lands (Ojigi, Abdulkadir, Aderoju, 2012), with an estimate of over 7,705,378 Nigerians affected by the floods leaving 2,157,419 persons internally displaced (IDPs). Moreover, over 90% of the 36 States of the country were affected between July and October, 2012 with 363 deaths and more than 618,000 damaged houses (OCHA, 2022). It was also noted to have caused massive destruction of farmlands which resulted to food insecurity in parts of the country as significant proportion of areas were affected by the floods. Therefore, a survey will be conducted in order to investigate the impact of flooding on agricultural productivity in Kaduna State

1.2 Statement of the Problem

It is no doubt that agriculture remains a significant contributor to the country's economic growth and plays a crucial part in its development, necessitating the need for its protection (Bello et al., 2018). However, the diminishing production of agricultural goods in Nigeria is a cause for concern and a significant obstacle for the government, given the task of providing food for a population of around 150 million individuals.  According to Ojo (2018), fflooding inundate farmlands, destroy crops, erode soil, and damage infrastructure such as irrigation systems and storage facilities. These adverse effects disrupt the agricultural cycle, reduce crop yields, and lead to significant economic losses for farmers.

On the other hand, flooding was found to have influenced food insecurity (Akukwe and Korhoda, 2018) as majority (99.3%) of the respondents adduced in a data generated from sampled households. This implies that virtually most households in Nigeria had experienced one or more negative effects of flooding on agricultural production and since the sampled households were Nigerian, the effects were devastating. The analysed negative effects of flooding on food and livestock production were: flooding reduces crop harvest; decreases farm income derived from crop sales; damages roads; destroys food/ farm storage facilities; reduces labour demand; pollutes streams; reduces the number of times food is consumed; affects the quality of food eaten; increases food items prices and it affects the quantity of food eaten. 

In the same vein, when crop failure occurs as a result of flooding, food availability is affected with an associated reduction in meal frequency and quantities (Akukwe and Korhoda, 2018). The problem of food insecurity in Nigeria is not only caused by an insufficient supply of food but also due to the lack of purchasing power and access at national and household levels. Therefore, despite gains in global food production and food security over the last three decades, more than 800 million people are undernourished and almost all of them belong to the developing countries of the world (Abid, Schilling, Scheffran, Zulfiqar 2014 and FAO, 2009). Nevertheless, aadapting agricultural operations and output to address flooding is crucial to satisfy the increasing food needs of Nigerians. Hence, it is in the light of these that the study seeks to investigate the impact of flooding on agricultural productivity in Kaduna State.

 1.3 Objectives of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of flooding on agricultural productivity in Kaduna State. Specifically, the study will;

Assess the extent flood has disrupted farming activities in Kaduna State.

Evaluate the extent flood has affected commercial farming in Kaduna State.

Determine the extent flood has affected the agricultural output in Kaduna State.

Determine the extent flood has affected the conservation and preservation of agricultural produce in Kaduna State.

1.4  Research Questions

The following questions have been prepared for the study:

1.5 Research Hypotheses

H0: Flooding has no significant impact on agricultural productivity in Kaduna State.

Ha: Flooding has significant impact on agricultural productivity in Kaduna State.

1.6 Significance of the Study

Community leaders and NGOs will use the findings to promote sustainable farming practices and advocate for better flood management and support systems for farmers. Additionally, the findings from this research will assist government and policymakers in the development of policies and programs that support farmers in flood-prone areas. Furthermore, this study will contribute to the academic fields of environmental science, agricultural economics, and disaster management by providing empirical data on the relationship between flooding and agricultural productivity. This means that other students who may decide to conduct studies in this area will have the opportunity to use this study as available literature that can be subjected to critical review. 

1.6 Scope of the study   

The scope of this study is boarded on the impact of flooding on agricultural productivity in Kaduna State. Empirically, this study will assess the extent flood has disrupted farming activities, commercial farming, affected the agricultural output and conservation and preservation of agricultural produce.

Geographically, the study will be delimited to residents of Kaduna State

1.7 Limitation of the study

In the course of carrying out this study, the researcher experienced some constraints, which included time constraints, financial constraints, language barriers, and the attitude of the respondents. In addition, there was the element of researcher bias. Here, the researcher possessed some biases that may have been reflected in the way the data was collected, the type of people interviewed or sampled, and how the data gathered was interpreted thereafter. The potential for all this to influence the findings and conclusions could not be downplayed. More so, the findings of this study are limited to the sample population in the study area, hence they may not be suitable for use in comparison to other schools, local governments, states, and other countries in the world.

 1.9 Definition of Terms

Flood: the overflow of water onto normally dry land due to heavy rainfall, poor drainage systems, or other contributing factors.

Agricultural production: the process and activities involved in cultivating plants and raising animals for food, fiber, medicinal plants, and other products used to sustain and enhance human life.

Food insecurity: is the state of being unable to access or afford enough food, resulting in a disruption of normal eating patterns.

Crop yield: the amount of agricultural produce harvested per unit of land area.

Disaster: is a sudden, catastrophic event that causes significant disruption, damage, or destruction, often resulting in loss of life, property, and resources.

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