Environmental Health, Desertification and Sustainable Development in North Eastern Nigeria: A Socio-economic Impact Assessment

The study was conducted in the months of July-September, 2017 to assess the socio economic impacts of desertification on local communities in Yusufari Local area of Yobe State, Nigeria. A total of 286 respondents comprising of 280 Local community dwellers and 6 officials of the department of Agriculture and Forestry participated in the study. Descriptive survey method of research was employed using both qualitative and quantitative data. Study data was collected using closed ended self made questionnaire and structured Interview Guide. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 6 was also used to analyse data on respondents’ characteristics, socio economic impacts of desertification as well as respondents perception of control measures using descriptive statistics. Study findings revealed that married men constituted biggest portion of the respondents while illiterate crop and live stock farmers dominated the occupation groupings. Dominant tribes happened to be Kanuri followed by Fulani and Hausa. Social impacts of desertification were found to be numerous ranging from relocation of houses or whole settlements, a town called Kaska relocated 2 times in less than 30 years, drying up of sources of water, forced migrations as well as Sporadic conflicts and loss of biodiversity and soil erosion. Economically, the impacts manifested in the farm of loss of soil fertility, reduction in farmlands, grazing and fishing sites with resultant drop in crop yields and number of animals and deaths. Transportation was also found to be seriously affected. Similarly, the local people were found to be fully aware of the concept of desertification. and its impacts but did not stop acts of deforestation nor engaged in any tangible form of reforestation activities. Governments’ efforts towards combating the menace were not enough. Based on these findings and others not mentioned here, it was recommended that local people should be well enlightened on the impacts of desertification and government's programmes to curb the menace, deforestation laws should be strictly adhered to, shelter beats and nursery plots should also be established and maintained.