The estimated land area of Nigeria is 904,000 km2 with a population of over 120 million. The use to which land is put differs from one location to another, especially when the immediate needs of the society or community concerned are not the same. However, the different uses of land revolve around agriculture (crop and animal production), industry (both oil and non-oil) and social needs such as the provision of infrastructure. This analytical review shows that about 65% of the land area of Nigeria is under various forms of food (crop and animal) production and forest plantation. This is categorized as follows: food crop production, 42%; extensive grazing and livestock projects, 21%; plantation (crop, forest, teak), <2%; and agriculture in denuded areas, <1%. From 1976–95 (the only available records) there were substantial changes in land area under intensive and floodplain agriculture (16%), extensive grazing and livestock projects (13%), plantation (>450%) and crop production in denuded areas (>150%). All the forest and grassland regions diminished in area over this period. These probably led to a >1,000% increase in areas under gullies and salty marsh, and >500% in area occupied by sand dunes. Even though these degraded areas occupy <10% of the land area of the country, the rates at which they encroach on more useful land are a dangerous omen for the country's land resources in general and agriculture in particular. Possible soil management solutions to avert these situations are discussed. The paper also highlights the fact that failures in implementation and/or fragmented approaches are the major problems of land use policy in the country, and that these need to be addressed for sustainable development to take off.
AgboolaS. A. (1979), An Agricultural Atlas of Nigeria, Oxford University Press, London, p 248.
2.
AkamigboF. O. R. (1999), ‘Land capability classification as a tool for effective land use policy’, in Evolving an Effective Agricultural Land Use Policy for Nigeria, Proceedings of the National Seminar on Land Use Policy and Practice, 19–23 July 1998, Ibadan.
3.
AlegreJ. C.CarselD. K., and MakarimM. K. (1987), ‘Strategies for reclamation of degraded lands: Tropical land clearing for sustainable agriculture’, in Proceedings of an International Board of Soil Resources and Management, Bangkok, pp 77–91.
4.
Anande-KurS. (1987), Keeping the Land Alive, a keynote address delivered at the Workshop on Soil Productivity, University of Jos, June, Markurdi.
5.
Anonymous (1999), ‘Evolving an effective agricultural land use policy for Nigeria’, in Proceedings of the National Seminar on Land Use Policy and Practice, 19–23 July 1998, Ibadan.
6.
AsaduC. L. A. (1989), ‘A comparative study and evaluation of yam-zone soils and the performance of six cultivars of white yam (D. rotundata) in southeastern Nigeria’, PhD thesis, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
7.
AsaduC. L. A. (1990), ‘Soil resources management: A critical factor in national development’, in IkemeA. I., ed, Challenges in Agricultural Production in Nigeria, Faculty of Agriculture, UNN Publication, pp 142–155.
8.
AsaduC. L. A., and DixonA. G. O. (2000), ‘A comparison of the changes in properties of soils of virgin forest and previously cultivated land due to seven crop combinations’, paper presented at the Annual Conference of the Soil Science Society of Nigeria, 30 October–3 November, Ibadan.
9.
AsaduC. L. A.EzeakuP. I., and NnajiG. U. (2003) ‘The soils of Sub-Saharan Africa and management needs for sustainable farming’, in BadejoM. A. and TogunA. O., eds, Strategies and Tactics of Sustainable Agriculture in the Tropics (in press), College Press Ltd, Ibadan, in collaboration with Emproct Consultants, Lagos.
10.
AsaduC. L. A.IkeO. O., and UgwokeB. O. (1999), ‘Cattle grazing and environment in eastern Nigeria: Impact on soil physical properties’, Outlook on Agriculture, Vol 28, No 2, pp 103–107.
11.
AsaduC. L. A., and NwekeF. I. (1999), ‘Soil of arable crop fields in sub-Saharan Africa: Focus on cassava-growing areas’, Collaborative Study of Cassava in Africa, Working Paper No 18, IITA, Ibadan.
12.
AsaduC. L. A., and UgwuB. O. (1997), ‘Soil resource management with particular reference to three arable crops in sub-Saharan Africa’, in Advances in Crop Engineering for the 21st Century, Proceedings of a Conference on New Genetic Engineering, 23–27 Feb, AEARC, Tando Jam, Pakistan.
13.
BernardM.LalR., and SchwertmanU. (1985), ‘Soil and water conservation effectiveness of different cultural practices’, Farming Systems Program Annual Report, IITA, Ibadan.
14.
ChutaE. J. (1998), ‘Importance of information management in land use’, in Evolving an Effective Agricultural Land Use Policy for Nigeria, Proceedings of the National Seminar on Land Use Policy and Practice, 19–23 July, Ibadan.
15.
DatiriB. T. (1974), ‘Soil and water conservation practices particularly in areas of shifting cultivation’, Report on the FAO/SIDA/ARCN Regional Seminar on Shifting Cultivation and Soil Conservation in Africa, University of Ibadan, 2–21 July, FAO, Rome, pp 77–80.
16.
DoranD. (1980), ‘Soil microbial and biochemical changes associated with reduced tillage’, Soil Science Society of America Journal, Vol 44, pp 765–777.
17.
EremieS. W. (1990), ‘The vetiver technology, soil and water conservation for Nigeria's small farmers’, paper presented at a Workshop on Erosion/Landslide and Rural Development for Self-Reliance, 4–16 March, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
18.
EzedinmaF. O. C. (1999), ‘Discussion’, in Evolving an Effective Agricultural Land Use Policy for Nigeria, Proceedings of the National Seminar on Land Use Policy and Practice, 19–23 July 1998, Ibadan, p 90.
19.
Federal Department of Agricultural Land Resources – FDALR (1982), ‘Land evaluation for agricultural land use in Nigeria’, in Efficient Use of Nigeria Land Resources, Proceedings of the First National Seminar on Agricultural Land Resources, 13–18 September, Kaduna.
20.
Federal Department of Agricultural Land Resources (1996), Assessment of Land and Vegetation Changes in Nigeria Between 1976/78 and 1993/95, Federal Department of Forestry, Abuja.
21.
Federal Department of Agricultural Land Resources (1999), ‘Evolving an effective agricultural land use policy for Nigeria,’ in Proceedings of the National Seminar on Land Use Policy and Practices, 19–23 July 1998, Ibadan.
22.
Food and Agriculture Organization – FAO (1976), ‘A framework for land evaluation’, FAO Soil Bulletin No 32, FAO, Rome.
23.
GreenfieldJ. C. (1989), ‘Vetiver grass (Vetiver spp), the ideal plant for vegetative soil and water conservation’ (mimeo), World Bank, Washington, DC.
24.
GreenlandD. J. (1978), ‘The responsibilities of soil science’, International Soil Science Society 11th Congress Proceedings, Vol 2, Edmonton, pp 341–359.
25.
IgbozurikeM. U. (1977), Agriculture at Cross Roads, University of Ife Press, Ife, Nigeria.
26.
IgbozurikeM. U. (1981), ‘Agricultural dimensions of Land Use Decree’, in Land Use and Conservation in Nigeria – Theory, Methodology, Policy, University of Nigeria Press, Nsukka.
27.
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – IITA (1986), Farming Systems Program Annual Report for 1985, Ibadan.
28.
LalR. (1974), ‘No-tillage effects on soil properties and maize production in western Nigeria’, Plant and Soil, Vol 40, pp 589–606.
29.
LalR. (1976), ‘Soil erosion on alfisols in western Nigeria, IV. Nutrient element loss in runoff and eroded sediments’, Geoderma, Vol 16, pp 403–417.
30.
LalR. (1985a), ‘Soil erosion and its relation to productivity in the tropical soils’, in Elswaify, eds, Soil Erosion and Conservation, SWCS, Ankeny, IA.
31.
LalR. (1985b), ‘Research achievements towards soil and water conservation in the tropics. Potential and priorities’, in SentisPla I., ed, Soil Conservation and Productivity, Proceedings IV International Conference on Soil Conservation, 3–9 Nov, Maracay, Venezuela, pp 755–787.
32.
LalR., and CouperD. C. (1990), ‘Soil microvariability’, Soils of the Humid Tropics, US National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC, pp 45–49.
33.
MbaN. (1983), ‘Evaluations of the effectiveness of various soil amendments in the improvement of subsoil productivity’, B Agric (Soil Sci) thesis, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
34.
MbagwuJ. S. C. (1984), ‘Effects of artificial desurfacing of Alfisols and Ultisols in southern Nigeria, 11. Changes in soil physical properties’, Soil Science Society of America Journal, Vol 48, pp 831–834.
35.
MbagwuJ. S. C. (1986), ‘Effects of soil degradation on the productivity of agricultural lands in the tropics’, paper presented at the National Workshop on Soil Erosion, Control, Land Clearing and Soil Testing Techniques, 9–22 February, CRDC, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
36.
MbagwuJ. S. C. (1988), ‘Physico-chemical properties and productivity of an ultisol in Nigeria as affected by long term erosion’, Pedologie, Vol XXXVIII, pp 137–154.
37.
NyeP. H., and GreenlandD. J. (1960), ‘The soil under shifting cultivation’, Commonwealth Bureau of Soils Technical Communication, No 51.
38.
OhiriA. C., and EzumahH. C. (1990), ‘Tillage effects on cassava (Manihot esculenta) production and some soil properties’, Soil Tillage Research, Vol 17, pp 221–229.
39.
OkorjiE. C. (1986), ‘Productivity of yam under alternative cropping systems adopted by small-holder farmers of southeastern Nigeria’, Agricultural Systems, Vol 22, pp 231–241.
40.
PonziD. (1993), ‘Soil erosion and productivity. A brief review’, Desertification Bulletin, No 22.
41.
RitcheyK. D., and FoxR. H. (1974), ‘Limitations to productivity of some ultisols and acrisols’, Journal of Agriculture of the University of Puerto Rico, Vol 58, pp 197–210.
42.
SalauA. T. (1981), ‘The Land Use Decree, urban morphology and planning in Nigeria’, Land Use and Conservation in Nigeria – Theory, Methodology, Policy, University of Nigeria Press, Nsukka.
43.
StockingM. (1984), Erosion and Soil Productivity. A Review, AGLS, FAO, Rome.
44.
StockingM. (1986), ‘Tropical red soils. Fertility management and degradation. The red soils of east and southern Africa’, Proceedings of an International Symposium, 24–27 February, IDRC-MR, Harare.
45.
StockingM., and PeakeL. (1985), Erosion Induced Loss in Productivity: Trends in Research and International Co-operation, FAO, Rome.
46.
TisdaleS. L., and NelsonW. C. (1975), Soil Fertility and Fertilizers, Macmillan Publishing Co Inc, New York.
47.
YaalonD. H., and ArnoldR. W. (2000), ‘Attitudes towards soils and societal relevance: Then and now’, Soil Science, Vol 165, pp 5–12.
48.
YoungA. (1979), ‘The nature and management of the proper tropical latosols’, Outlook on Agriculture, Vol 10, pp 27–32.
