The Underlying Factors of Soil Susceptibility to Erosion in Central Parts of Southeastern Nigeria

Abstract

Soil erosion in southeastern Nigeria has a high devastating tendency which created a natural geologic hazard is causing loss of arable farm lands, destroying properties and other social infrastructures like pipelines, roads, bridges, over head and underground cables that are being exposed and or washed away by deep gully erosions. Investigations into the underlying factors of soil susceptibility to soil erosion in southeastern Nigeria led to this work. The study areas are the twenty six Local Government Areas within the centre of the zone which are Anaocha, Orumba North, Aguata, Nnewi South and Orumba South in Anambra State; Umunneochi, Bende, Ohafia, Arochukwu and Isuikwuato in Abia State; Afikpo North, Afikpo South, Ivo, Ohaozara and Onicha in Ebonyi State; Aninri, Oji River, Ezeagu, Udi and Awgu in Enugu State, and Idea to North, Idea to South, Okigwe, Orlu, and Orsu in Imo State. The dataset for this research work are from secondary and primary sources. Secondary Data were extracted from other journal publications among others, while primary data were in the form of measurement during field visit, photographs and geophysical soil survey and verification. Descriptive Statistics, Student t-test and Chi-square test analysis were used. The result shows that the soils across the study area generally are predominantly sandy with a mean of fine sand at 28.22% and coarse sand at 43.40%, while the mean of clay and silt are very low, 17.82% and 10.56% respectively. The study concludes that high sand content in the composition of soil in the study area is responsible for high rate of soil erosion in the area and therefore recommends a policy framework from the government of Nigeria that will encourage a paradigm shift from roots and tubers crop production that exposes the soil, to orchard plantation.