The Social And Economic Impact Of Farm Land Flooding In Etche Local Government

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Climate change and its impact have evolved so rapidly from a disaster evasion to a frightening reality. Climate change is believed to be a long time change in the atmospheric temperature and weather distribution in general. However, over the last twenty to thirty years the impacts of climate change through global warming has been drastic and poses great concern and imperatively the need seek sustainable measures to tackle the situation (WHO, 2012). Global warming related floods during the raining season. However, each seems to get worse leaving a larger impact than the future is the most common form of climate change affecting mankind at different levels resulting in depletion of natural resources, drought and flooding (Arnell and Reynard, 2016). The impact of climate change is felt in both developed and developing countries but the impact is felt the most in developing countries due to lack of adequate infrastructures to respond to it (IPPC, 2017). The focus of this research will be on flooding disasters and socio-econmic impact on urban dwellers in Ado Ekiti which has been an ongoing event for decades and automatically affects the social, economic and environmental well-being of the affected regions and country at large. 

Flooding is when a dry area overflows with water and is not able to absorb it into the ground. The hazard of flooding is an annual phenomenon that has displaced millions every year worldwide and claimed lives and properties (Bronstert 2013). According to Bariweni et al., (2012) and Etuonovbe (2011), Nigeria experiences floods every year especially flash floods and dam previous. In 2012, the intensity with which the floods came left the affected areas in a tragic state. The flood displaced over 2.1 million Nigerians leaving them homeless. Hundreds of lives were lost and properties including hundreds of thousand hectares of farm lands washed away (NEMA 2012). The northern regions of the country were affected the most especially states which the major rivers pass through and communities by the riparian were completely submerged. 

According to Bunu (2011), Northern Nigeria is characterized by very dry and very hot climate, especially in the north eastern and north western states. Drought and desertification therefore has always been the main focus of climate change challenges and environmental degradation issues. The general temperature of northern Nigeria remains constantly high during the day especially in dry seasons reaching a maximum of about 40 degrees Celsius on very hot days. A few areas in the north like the Jos and Biu plateau experience a relatively different climate from the generalized dry and hot climate. Temperatures on the plateau can be cold and a temperature difference of less than 10 degrees most times due to the high altitude (NNT, 2013). Drought no doubt is a concern but flooding has also become a major issue. However, within the last 3 decades flooding has become a perennial event in Nigeria. The reoccurrence of flooding is becoming more tragic due to the loss of lives, property and agriculture. It’s gotten worse due to change in rainfall pattern attributed to climate change. Climate change is a worldwide trend and should be treated with urgency as many regions are getting to a stage that is considered unfit for human survival due to land degradation. This has resulted in conflicts over extreme depletion of natural resources, increase in population and poverty causing severe risk to political, economic, and social stability (Schwartz and Randall, 2013). Way before crude oil was discovered in commercial quantity in Nigeria, agriculture was the major trade and source of livelihood and economic growth.

Floods had several socio-economic and political implications which caused a wide range of complex issues. Some of the immediate consequences included the displacement of people, the destruction of infrastructure such as houses and roads, damage to farms and crops and loss of cattle and livestock. The destruction of roads and other infrastructure delayed on-going development initiatives and political processes (Theron, 2017). Floods also caused loss of soil fertility which lessened future harvests. In the long-term, affected areas had to deal with the spread of infections and water borne diseases, cholera, dysentery and diarrhoea which increased the need for safe drinking water and the provision of water purification tablets. Grunfest (1995) argues that due to high poverty levels, people have become more vulnerable because they live in hazardous areas including flood plains and steep hills. They have fewer resources which makes them more susceptible to disasters .They are less likely to receive timely warnings. Furthermore, even if warnings were issued, they have fewer options for reducing losses in a timely manner. The poverty level affects the resilience and process of recovery from disasters. Disaster mitigation, preparedness and prevention needs to address socio-economic issues not only geological and meteorological aspects. It is to this end that the researcher carried out this study on the flooding disasters and socio economics impact on urban dweller in Ado Ekiti. 

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Floods are annual phenomena with the most severe appearance during the months of July and August in every year. Regular river floods affect 20% of the country increasing up to 68% in extreme years. The floods of 1988, 1998 and 2004 were particularly catastrophic, resulting in large-scale destruction and loss of agricultural product (Department of disaster management, 2012). Flood and riverbank erosion are two major environmental disasters that the country experiences recurrently and an estimated one million people are displaced every year due to riverbank erosion in the country (Elahi, 2010). This adversity is further worsened when the devastating flood and riverbank erosion together intensify the process of pauperization in rural areas in Ado Ekiti and its environs (Rahman, 2016; Karim, 2010 and Islam, 2013). The number of people at risk has been growing each year and the majority is in developing countries like Ado Ekiti and its environ with high poverty levels making them more vulnerable to disasters (Living with Risk, 2010). Grunfest (2015) argues that due to high poverty levels, people have become more vulnerable because they live in hazardous areas including flood plains of river and over the embankment.   

It is estimated that become of 35% of the total population in Nigeria and it’s environs live below poverty level having problems in food subsistence (Khandaker et al., 2010; Karim, 2012). The majority of the people in rural Etche and it’s environs do not have access to proper nutrition, housing settlement and healthcare facilities. Poverty situation is further deteriorated because of natural hazards and calamities every year. Flood and riverbank erosion often dislocates cultivable land and human settlements, and it also destroys agricultural crops massively, disrupts road-linkages and communication infrastructure of the country. Because of this critical situation, displaces and victims of natural disasters face multi-dimensional environmental problems. In maximum cases, they have been unable to adapt with the changing conditions of many sociopolitical, economic and cultural strategies in order to survive in the face of the plethora of problems.  

From an academic point of view, many aspects of these environmental issues of Etche and it’s environs have remained understudied. In this view, there are few studies on flood and its secondary effects of riverbank erosion displaces from the livelihood perspective. We do not even know the reasons for flood in the study area. There has a very limited research on the flood and the secondary causes of flood and its effects on the livelihood assets of the community. For that reason, this research has generated data on the flood and riverbank erosion (as the secondary cause of flood) displacement and the impacts of it on the livelihood of the study area. Based on field study, the research provides contextual socio-economic and cultural data at the experiential level. The general purpose of this study has been to assess the social and economic impact of farm land flooding in Etche Local Government Area, Rivers state.