Agricultural sustainability in northern Nigeria

Topographic map of Nigeria

Due to the social and environmental conditions in northern Nigeria, flexibility of both ecological management as well as economic activity are vital components of any strategy for agricultural and rural livelihood in the region.[1] It is often contended that African farmers are unsuccessful at intensifying agriculture through the utilization of a method that is environmentally sustainable as well as economically productive. The vegetation of northern Nigeria is predominantly marginal or short grass savannah[7] (see Figure 1), and this region is characterized by a relatively hot climate with seasonal rainfall and a marked dry season.[2] The pressures of an increasing population (see Figure 2) are understood to cause increasing food demands by urban consumers and rural farmers, the expansion of areas of cultivation, reduced fallow intervals with a lack of inputs necessary to compensate, and as a result reduced soil fertility. This means that per capita and per hectare yields will decline and food will become scarce, especially for those in rural areas. However, it is possible that an increase in population density may in fact have positive rather than negative consequences for the economy as well as the environment.[1] Studies carried out in the Kano Close-Settled Zone and the surrounding region[1][8] indicated that in particular places at certain times, the intensification of agricultural practices can take place without the typically associated degradation.[1] While there does exist poverty in the region, as well as people who are without sufficient food, there does not appear to be a decline in crop yields. Instead evidence suggests there has been a sustained effort to increase the production of food in an attempt to keep up with the increasing need.[3][9]

Map of the dominant soil types of Nigeria

The soils in the northern region of Nigeria are categorized as reddish brown or brown soils of the semi-arid and arid regions. They are also known as tropical ferruginous soils and are considered to be comparable to Ferric Luvisols. These are sandy soils that are made up of about 85% sand. Their pH values range between 6.0 and 7.0, and their bulk densities are about 1.4 g/cm3.[5][10]

Millet seeds

Cowpea seeds

The main crops in this area are millet, sorghum, and cowpea (see Figures 4 to 6), while groundnut and sesame are considered minor crops.[4] Guna (cow) melon (Citrullus lanatus) has been recently added to crop production for market. It requires only one fall of rain, is planted late in the season, and grows on moisture that is left in the soil until it is harvested during the months preceding the next year's rains. This crop is a significant supply of edible oil.[1] Plants grown as field boundaries include the henna bush (Lawsonia inermis) as well as various grasses. Intercrop spreads are also planted among the grains; they often consist of cowpeas or groundnuts, which are nitrogen-fixing plants. A density of mature trees is also maintained.[3]

Wild foods in northeastern Nigeria come from a wide range of plants, including trees; shrubs; and various herbaceous plants. They add diversity, flavor, and important vitamins and minerals necessary for healthy growth. Furthermore, they are used as livestock fodder; in agriculture, construction, and medicines; and for cultural reasons. These potential sources of food can be found in a range of habitats from farmland (as weeds), to fallow fields and grazing lands, as well as in the settlements themselves. These foods become particularly important in times of food shortage, such as during a drought or when access to food is limited due to socio-economic issues like poverty or warfare.[4][11]

The preparation of fields for farming is begun in April or May when the farmers clear shrubs. Sometimes grasses are burned in order to clear fields that have not been grazed by livestock. The beginning of the rainy season is in June or July and this is when most planting begins, although a few farmers may dry-plant before the rains begin. Fields where germination has been successful are weeded using a locally-made hoe known as the ashasha.[5]

In September, millet is harvested, followed closely by beans. In late October or November sorghum is harvested. In addition to this, farmers who do not wish for their cereal stalks to be consumed by livestock must also harvest these. Some farmers begin planting guna melon as the millet is harvested. However, guna melon is very vulnerable to pests, so the crop is not successful in every year. They are harvested from February to April if it is.[5]

Herdsman with Fulani cattle

Traditionally there has been a division between sedentary farmers made up of the Manga and the Hausa people, and the nomadic pastoralists known as Fulani (see Figure 7). However this has diminished and both groups now engage in livestock and crop production, although the priority for Fulanis is still the rearing of cattle, while for the Manga and Hausa, it is crop production.[5]

In northern Nigeria, research surrounding intensive agricultural practices has been taking place for a number of decades, especially in the Kano Close-Settled Zone. In the nineteenth century, the intensive agriculture carried out in this area of dense population surrounding Kano city was noted by western visitors like Henry Barth.[1] By the year 1913 there was a maximum of one third of farmland in fallow[Notes 2] in any particular year. The population densities of the rural area in this region climbed from 243 to 348 people per square kilometer between 1962 and 1991, but the land area under permanent cultivation remained approximately the same. In this time period the cultivated land per capita went from 0.36 to 0.29 hectares. However, there was no evidence of any significant decrease in the fertility of the soil. Furthermore, the average cereal crop yields as well as number of farm trees remained constant.[1]

• Herder farmer conflicts in Nigeria