Mitigation of Land Degradation for Agricultural Space Using Agroforestry System in Chikum Local Government Area, Kaduna State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigate the use of agricultural land space for agroforestry system in order to mitigate farmers-herders conflicts and land degradation in Chikum local government area of Kaduna State, Nigeria, using data obtained from field inspection and unstructured interview administered to 200 farmers through snow – ball sampling techniques. The data analysed reveals that farmland categorisation into five groups namely: very small (<1/2 ha; 27%), small (1/2 – 5ha; 56%), medium (5.1 – 10ha; 6.5%), large (10.1 – 50 ha; 9.5%) and very large (> 50 ha; 1%), while the main crops grown are maize and rice and the main trees are cashew and mangoes, and sheep, goats, pigs and poultry dominate the animals. Data categorization revealed that all sizes of agricultural space can adopt agroforestry irrespective of the main goal of the farmers and as a result, the space allocated for crops ranges from 30 to 90%, animals from 1 to 20% and trees from 5 to 65% given room for a lot of flexibility to accommodate the farmers and herders main goal. This was possible because of the availability and adoption of fast growing economy trees and animals that occupies little space for growth and development like snails, poultry and rabbit. This study therefore proposed more enlightenment on agroforestry because of its benefits to the farmers, herders and the environment.