Impacts Of Loss Of Vegetation Influenced By Crop Production Activities In Northern Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study focused on the socio-Economic analysis of impact of vegetation loss due to arable farming activities in Northern Cross River State, Nigeria. Results of Students T-test analysis at 95% confidence interval showed that there were significant differences in availability of forest products in the past compared to the present day in the study area. The significant test in the entire tested hypothesis is less than 0.05 (P< 0.5), showing that forest product availability in the study area is on the decline which also results in scarcity of forest resources as well as timber and non-timber forest products. The study also revealed that arable farmers from the study area are not sufficiently aware that removal of tree species from their farm lands could result in land degradation: However 85% of the farmers have observed degradation of their farmlands. The observed causes include, over cultivation and little or no fallow period. Multiple regression result of some socio-economic parameters (household size, educational level of farmers family members available for farm work willingness to plant fruit trees, land acquisition methods, farmers population trends, trend of yield of arable crops over time and farming experience of the farmers) on farm size as a function of vegetation loss shows that R2 is 25% in the study area. In order words only 25% of loss of vegetation could be explained by the socio-economic parameters measured. Also, the correlation analysis between household size (O.1114), farmers population tread (0.4467) and yield tread (0.0261) on vegetation loss are positive against vegetation loss. However, there is negative correlation between willingness to plant fruit trees and vegetation loss in the area

Keywords: Loss of Vegetation, Crop production

Journal of Agriculture, Forestry and the Social Sciences Vol. 4 (2) 2006: pp. 94-106