From the pulp-fiction tale of the lost British noble raised by anthropoid apes, I first read about the "loyal Waziri", who lived on the west coast of Africa. Their intelligence was only exceeded by their loyalty to the protagonist. My 11-year-old eyes did not comprehend the reality represented by the depictions of tribal life, seeing only Tarzan's continued triumph.
Lately, though, I understand that while the jungles of Africa still exist, careful land management is needed to continue to use their bounty. Moran (2009) describes how swidden agriculture is actually quite effective in developing the African landscape for crops. When Nigerian locals add to the slash-and-burn methods by weeding and fertilization, the land is even more abundant with valuable harvests (Moran, 2009, p. 198). Adding years of forest lying the fallow to land can yield "up to 20 times the energy invested" in field preparation and sowing. (http://www.galtoninstitute.org.uk/Newsletters/GINL9712/crises_and_cycles.htm).
On the northern side of Nigeria, Congan grasslands stand as the demarcation between deforestation to the Saharan desert. This grassland is classified as "derived savannah", interspersed with patches of thickets and stands of trees. Use of the range management approach has begun to yield fine results, utilizing farmyard manure to enhance nutritious soil production.
Thus relying upon these farming techniques, the population of Nigeria is almost 150 million, estimated as of July 2009. As an oil-producing nation, however, the government has focused on that resource exclusively, and has mostly allowed private industry and charities to focus on farming for the good of the people. The population has been growing about 2% annually, even though the infant mortality is high and infectious respiratory diseases are common. AIDS is the huge problem that it is elsewhere in Africa, with 2.6 million people infected.
Environmental protections do not yet exist in Nigeria, even though multiple international agreements have been signed. Perhaps the coming decades will allow for progressive improvements, now that Nigerians have had 10 years to become used to the latest constitution. With its volatile history, this former British colony has a democratically elected president that claims to be sincere about improving the infrastructure, including electricity and roads.
From ancient dust to prevalent cell phones, Nigeria is making progress.
Africa: Nigeria. (2009 October 28). Retrieved November 4, 2009, from The CIA World
Factbook. website: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook
/geos/ni.html
Hossner, L. R., Juo, A.S.R. (1999, May 1). Soil nutrient management for sustained
food crop production upland farming systems in the tropics. Retrieved from Food,
Fertilizer Technology Center for the Asian and Pacific Region website.
http://www.agnet.org/library/eb/471/
McKell, C.M., & Adegbola, A.A. (1966). Need for a range management approach for
Nigerian grasslands. Kansas: Allen Press.
Palo, M., & Vanhenen, H. (2008). World forests from deforestation to transition? The
Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Russell, C., & Russell, W. M. S. (1988). Swidden farming and the Maya. Retrieved from
http://www.galtoninstitute.org.uk/Newsletters/GINL9712/crises_and_cycles.htm
Source, E.M. (1961). Selling the tropical African market. The Journal of Marketing,
25(5), 25-31.
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Interesting concept about the developments the Nigerian community has made in sustaining their environment. The connection between government and farmers clearly is need of innovation however, as you mentioned.
ReplyDeleteI see that you state the Nigerian government has chose to focus on oil exclusively, rather then try to implement programs that work to aid the agriculture of the country. It seems to me that the value of investing in your country mens well being well being, may in the long hall be more useful. By helping to rebuild and establish adequate and safe conditions for the inhabitants you may be able to simultaneously build a infrastructure that will be able to more efficiently produce or manage oil allowing for all involved to benefit equally.
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