SOIL REHABILITATION: Panacea To Nigeria Economic Crisis BY OLUBISI Oluwasegun John DEPARTMENT OF SOIL SCIENCE AND LAND RESOURCES MANAGEMENT, FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE, OBAFEMI AWOLOWO UNIVERSITY, ILE – IFE, OSUN STATE Obafemi Awolowo University Faculty of Agriculture Department of Soil Science and Land Resources Management

INTRODUCTION “When the purpose of a thing is not known, abuse is always inevitable” Soil Rehabilitation is a broad study which encompasses all fields that deal with life and its sustainability. There are three basic things that man require for life which are food, clothing and shelter.

For all these needs to be met there is a need to check for the status of soils which is required for the growing of food and rearing of animals, construction of houses, roads and different basic and social amenities and infrastructures. Furthermore, food security and availability of social infrastructures help in building the economy of a nation.

However, before we talk about the rehabilitation of soil, there must have been a detrimental process occurring within the soil which is a term known as “soil degradation”. These soil degradation can be caused by two factors which are: Anthropogenic factors and Natural factors

Forms of soil degradation include soil erosion, soil acidity, desert encroachment, soil compaction and loss of soil fertility.

What is Soil Rehabilitation What is Soil Rehabilitation? Soil rehabilitation can be defined as the process in which bad soil can be transformed into good soil. It can also be referred to as the process of returning the soil properties, abilities which had been degraded due to bad management caused by man, natural disasters and industry into a productive soil capable of exuding good yield.

But soil rehabilitation is broad; it refers to all efforts put in place in order to maintain a fertile but productive soil void of physical challenges.

Soil survey and evaluation as a means of soil rehabilitation This will help in selecting suitable lands for the production of specific crops by monitoring and improving their quality through soil fertility management; and also ensuring the conservation of the fertility of agricultural lands through its rehabilitation.

The soil rehabilitation under soil survey should also include the provision of sophisticated equipments that are useful in promoting good results. Equipments such as computers, geographic information system (GIS), Remote Sensing, GPS etc. should be provided.

When the soil is adequately evaluated and a critical survey is carried out on the soil before planting, it gives all information about the soil including the kinds of crop that will thrive best on that land. When these suitable crops are planted, there would be maximum productivity

Application of soil amendments as a means of soil rehabilitation Soil amendments can be in form of fertilizers, mulches, liming materials, terraces, organic materials and biochar. This can be used to managed degraded soil such as Acidic soil, eroded soil, desert encroached soil etc.

AGRICULTURE AND THE NIGERIA ECONOMY Agriculture was central to Nigeria’s economic structure till the early 1990s. It was one of the main sources of foreign currency. However, over the years, the agricultural sector has become a grey area for the Nigerian economy.

According to the 2014 estimates, the sector provides employment to more than 70% of the working population but contributes only 40% of the total national production. The country has not been able to satisfy internal demand and has to import a considerable amount of food products

These figures are due to an array of factors which include prevalence of pests and diseases as well as soil degradation. The contribution of the agricultural sector to economic development can be increased by effective soil rehabilitation. These figures are due to an array of factors which include prevalence of pests and diseases as well as soil degradation. Forms of soil degradation include soil erosion, soil acidity, desert encroachment, soil compaction and loss of soil fertility

Nearly all the regions of the country is plagued by one form of soil degradation or the other. Agriculture in the south eastern Nigeria is inhibited by severe occurrences of soil erosion In the south west, agriculture is hindered by the prevalence of acid soils caused by heavy rainfall

Soils of the south south region are plagued by oil spills making farming extremely difficult The north east and north western part of the country is suffering from desert encroachment due to climate change. If these soils can be successfully managed using adequate soil rehabilitation methods, it goes without saying that we are on the way to providing a cure to the economic crises.

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