ABSTRACT

 Soil erosion is a menas that needs to be controlled in order to forestall its danger in any locality. It is the realization of this fact which made the residents of Afuze to attempt to control this problem of soil erosion in their environment.

This study reveals several efforts that have been made in the past years to control soil erosion, but so far these attempts have not been appraised before now.

 It was the need to fill this gap which necessitated this project. The project therefore attempted to find out whether past control measures succeeded or failed and the effects of soil in Afuze. A survey was carried out using questionnaire, visual examination was also conducted around Afuze.

  A hypothesis was tested, from observation and the analysis of the questionnaires, it was obvious that the type of soil found in Afuze has militated against the attempt of controlling soil erosion, the living habits of the people, the haphazard and nature of development as well as the ineffective materials used by the construction companies.

The result of the hypothesis was negative, as a result of the above, several recommendation were made and these include the fact that the government should organize a public enlighten campaign to teach the people how to approach the problem of soil erosion

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Soil erosion is a problem that needs to be controlled in order to forestall its danger in any locally, soil is fundamental  to all land use and care has to be taken to ensure that it is not misused  or destroyed. Most of this soil erosion is caused by the interference of man through human activities and ignorance. Mismanagement in soil use greatly accelerates this erosion process.

Soil is one of our most precious resources, the loss of this resources through land degradation process in an urban areas such as soil erosion, is one of the most serious environmental problems we are faced with as a gradual process that occurs when the actions of water wind, and other factors eat away and wear down the land causing the soil to deteriorate or disappear completely. Soil erosion/deterioration and low quality of water due to erosion and run off has often become a major problem around the world.

Soil erosion is one form of soil degradation along with soil compaction, low organic matter, loss of soil structure, poor internal drainage, Salinization, and soil acidity problems. These other forms of soil degradation, serious in themselves, usually contribute to accelerated soil erosion, therefore humans obviously need to be much more knowledgeable about this problem.

Much has been written in academic papers about erosion. Apart from the writings of the academic works, a lot of things have been said concerning erosion problem all over the world, to the extent that erosion is almost becoming a household word. The paper, medium, Internet and in literature books, has written much about erosion, its cause and effect in Nigeria and rest of the world.

Erosion attacks human endeavors in various sectors. Its ugly effects can be seen both in rural and urban sectors of not only Nigeria but countries all over the world. In the urban sector, the danger of erosion manifest itself in the form of destruction of peoples property (washed out houses) and the destruction of road and streets. Deep gullies often cut off the urban streets thereby denying the residents from motorized access to their houses. The rural area is not spared from the destruction as most of their crops are often washed away. Some of the rural settlements have no motorable roads since their roads have been destroyed by erosion. Erosion also removes top soil which contains the plant nutrient thereby leaving the soil impoverished and unproductive. Besides making agricultural soil unproductive, erosion of agricultural land and runoff result in the deposition of soil particles in unwanted area’s (sedimentation of roads, creeks, e.t.c) with all its negative consequence for traffic

Furthermore, the importance of soil erosion control is not restricted to the maintenance of the productive potential and fertility of soil for future generation. It is also an effective means to ensure employment in urban and rural areas and reduce urban and rural exodus. Efficient erosion control is therefore very advantageous from the ecological and social perspectives, besides being highly significant from an economic point of view. Therefore the study of such a phenomenon as harmful as this deserves attention. Any expansion on its study is not a waste of time.

STATEMENT OF RESEARCH PROBLEM

It is surprisingly that erosion continues to be a serious environments hazard in urban center of Afuze, after much has been invested on its control both by the government and non- government organization. The local government had at defferent time executed erosion control and flood channelization project in Afuze.  The fact that erosion continues to be threat to life and property after enormous investment on its control seems to suggest that something is wrong some where. Probably what was done was not adequate or what was done was done in the wrong way? This should leave every reasoning mind in doubt as to the efficacy of what was done, it is this doubts created by the re-occurrence of this erosion problem despite the various efforts to check it that informed the choice of this topic. Therefore for the purpose of this project, a lot of questions will be ask in respect of the state of erosion control in Afuze, these questions includes,

1. What has been done so far by way of controlling erosion in Afuze?
2. Are what has been done so far adequate?
3. Are there certain things, which should be done that were left undone?                                           
4. Were things done in the wrong way?  
5. What is left to be done?

Based on the above, this research project intends to fill this gap that is lacking in knowledge as far as soil erosion in Afuze is concerned. And as far as the author is concerned, no researcher has ever researched on this topic in afuze.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

    The objectives of this study is to access the adequacy  and effects of soil erosion control measure in Afuze this objectives  shall be  achieved   through the following

1. To determine the type of soil erosion in the study area
2. To identify the nature and characteristics of soil in the study area.
3. To examine the factor responsible for soil erosion in the study area.
4. To determine the effects of soil erosion in the study area.
5. To identify the adequacy of the various measures that has been taken to control soil erosion
6. To make recommendation 

HYPOTHESIS

        In this research study the hypothesis bellow shall be tested.

1. The cost of controlling soil erosion in Afuze is not effective and it has a significant effect on the control of soil erosion, the people and environment 
2. The cost of controlling soil erosion in Afuze is effective and as such, can check soil erosion in the area