Ecological implication of market gardenning in the old Ogoja zone of Nigeria

Type Journal Article - International Journal of the Physical Sciences
Title Ecological implication of market gardenning in the old Ogoja zone of Nigeria
Author(s)
Volume 6
Issue 22
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2011
Page numbers 5309-5316
URL http://www.academicjournals.org/article/article1380632926_Eneji et al.pdf
Abstract
Man’s attempt to improve his income and also supplement his food especially during dry season in the
old Ogoja zone has led him to develop dry season farming along watershed. Man’s farming activities
mainly for market gardening has impacted in no small way on the environment which has resulted in the
reduction of rainfall volume, increase temperature, biodiversity depletion and soil fertility loss. In this
research which spans a period of five years, the activities of these market gardeners were critically
assessed; we collected data from the field in three folds, temperature data by measuring temperature on
the farm site twice every year. During the rainy season and during the dry season. We also collected
rainfall data for the same period under study. We went further to collect soil moisture data. We used
simple analysis to compare the temperature and rainfall data from 2005 to 2009 when the research was
initiated. It was discovered from the research that the market gardening activities as carried out in the
area have potentially impacted on the environment. We concluded that if nothing is done to reduce this
trend, it will lead to global climate problems. We proffered some suggestions as to reduce this trend in
the study area through the use of water from a reservoir or hand dug well and also such farms should be
cultivated away from watershed and water courses. We equally suggested that the use of inorganic
artificial fertilizer should be replaced with the use of organic manure like composting and farm yard
manure from the leaf litters and the grasses removed from land clearance in the farm.

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