Thesis Abstract

Thesis Overview

<p> </p><p><b>1.0 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</b><b>INTRODUCTION</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>1.1 &nbsp; BACKGROUND OF STUDY</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>Environmental<br>degradation has become important global issues since the 1970s, when the world<br>countries and international community became aware of the negative consequences<br>of over-exploitation of the human environment. Environmental degradation in<br>most rural areas in Nigeria has increased over the years and both human<br>activities and natural disasters have contributed to this problem (Titiola<br>1998; Girigiri 2000).</p><p>Prominent<br>environmental degradation found in most rural communities include –<br>deforestation, loss of biodiversity, loss of soil fertility, leaching of the<br>soil, land degradation, land and water pollution, desertification, flood,<br>drought, and erosions. The oil companies have been blamed as the perpetrators<br>of environmental degradation in this region due to overexploitation of the<br>crude oil deposits and gas flaring. Be it as it may, complete evaluation of<br>environmental degradation should consider the part other factors such as<br>poverty and inefficient resource use in agriculture have played in limiting<br>achievement of effective environmental protection and management in poverty<br>prone communities.</p><p>The environment affects<br>our health in a variety of ways. The interaction between human health and the<br>environment has been extensively studied and environmental risks have been proven<br>to significantly impact human health, either directly by exposing people to<br>harmful agents, or indirectly, by disrupting life-sustaining ecosystems (Remoundou and<br>Koundouri, 2009).</p><p>Environmental<br>degradation is the deterioration of the environment through depletion of<br>natural resources such as air, water and soil; the destruction of ecosystems<br>and the extinction of wildlife. It is any change or disturbance to the<br>environment perceived to be deleterious or undesirable. Environmental<br>degradation is one of the Ten Threats officially cautioned by the High Level<br>Threat Panel of the United Nations.<br>The United Nations International Strategy for Disaster<br>Reductiondefines<br>environmental degradation as “The reduction of the capacity of the environment to<br>meet social and ecological objectives, and needs”.</p><p>The primary cause of<br>environmental degradation is human disturbance. The degree of the environmental<br>impact varies with the cause, the habitat, and the plants and animals that<br>inhabit it. Humans and their activities are a major source of environmental degradation.<br>Worldwide the greatest effects on the health of individuals and populations<br>result from environmental degradation and social injustice. The two operate in<br>consort.</p><p>(Martin Donohoe, 2003).<br>Causes include overpopulation, air and water pollution, deforestation, global<br>warming, unsustainable agricultural and fishing practices, overconsumption (affluenza)<br>misdistribution of wealth, the rise of the corporation, the Third World debt<br>crisis, and militarization and wars.</p><p>Mining is also a<br>destructive development activity where ecology suffers at the altar of economy.<br>Scientific mining operations accompanied by ecological restoration and<br>regeneration of mined wastelands and judicious use of geological resources,<br>with search for eco-friendly substitutes and alternatives must provide<br>sensational revelation to the impact of mining on human ecosystem (Singh and Chauhan,<br>2010).</p><p><b>1.2 &nbsp; STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Environmental degradation is the<br>gradual depletion of the environment that is capable of damaging a whole lot of<br>things including animals and farmland and farm produce. The problem of<br>environmental degradation on agricultural productivity could be that the<br>knowledge or idea on how to go about the control of this natural disaster that<br>tends to destroy agricultural produce. Finally, several researches have been<br>carried out on the environmental degradation but not even a single research has<br>been carried out on the effect of environmental degradation on agricultural<br>productivity in Nigeria.</p><p><b>1.3 &nbsp; AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF STUDY</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The main aim of the study is to<br>determine the effect of environmental degradation on agricultural productivity<br>in Nigeria. Other specific objectives of the study include:</p><p>1. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>to determine the extent to which<br>environmental degradation affects agricultural productivity in Nigeria.</p><p>2. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>to determine the factors affecting<br>environmental degradation.</p><p>3. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>to determine the economic importance of environmental<br>degradation on agricultural produce.</p><p>4. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>to proffer possible solutions to the problems.</p><p><b>1.4 &nbsp; RESEARCH<br>QUESTIONS</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>1. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>What is the extent to which<br>environmental degradation affects agricultural productivity in Nigeria?</p><p>2. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>What are the factors affecting<br>environmental degradation?</p><p>3. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>What is the economic importance of<br>environmental degradation on agricultural produce?</p><p>4. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>What are the possible solutions to the problems?</p><p><b>1.5 &nbsp; STATEMENT OF RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>H0: &nbsp; Environmental degradation has no significant<br>effect on agricultural productivity in Nigeria.</p><p>H1: &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Environmental<br>degradation has a significant effect on agricultural productivity in Nigeria.</p><p><b>1.6 &nbsp; SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>The<br>study on the effect of environmental degradation on agricultural production<br>will be of immense benefit to the entire farmers in Nigeria in the sense that<br>it will enable private individuals and the government to take preventive<br>measures to the havoc environmental degradation might bring to the farm produce.<br>Finally, the study will contribute to the body of existing literature and<br>knowledge to this field of studies and basis for further research.</p><p><b>1.7 &nbsp; SCOPE OF STUDY</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The study on the effect of<br>environmental degradation on agricultural productivity is limited to<br>subsistence and commercial faming in Nigeria.</p><p><b>1.8 &nbsp; LIMITATION OF STUDY</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Financial constraint</b>–<br>Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing<br>for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of<br>data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).<b></b></p><b><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Time constraint</b>–<br>The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic<br>work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research<br>work.<b></b></p><b><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>1.9 &nbsp; DEFINITION OF TERMS</b></p><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Effect</b>a change which is a result or<br>consequence of an action or other cause.<b></b></p><b><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Environmental<br>Degradation</b>This is the deterioration of the environment through depletion of<br>resources such as air, water and soil; the destruction of ecosystems; habitat destruction; the extinction of<br>wildlife; and pollution.<b></b></p><b><p><b></b></p><b><p><b>Agricultural<br>Productivity</b>&nbsp;is measured as the ratio of <em>agricultural</em>&nbsp;outputs to <em>agricultural</em>&nbsp;inputs.</p></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b></b> <br><p></p>