Climate Change in Nigeria: A Transformation
What is Climate Change?
What are the effects of Climate Change in Nigeria?
How can climate change be controlled and transformed for good?
These are the questions I wish to answer in this write up.
Climate change is the rise in the average surface temperature on the Earth, also known as global warming. The major cause of climate change is the human use of fossil fuels, which when burnt releases carbon dioxide and other harmful gases into the atmosphere. The released carbon dioxide traps heat within the atmosphere which leads to a range of adverse effects such as rising sea levels, severe weather conditions and droughts.
Other activities such as overgrazing, intense agriculture and the cutting down of trees for fuel (firewood) also contribute to climate change. These tree are meant to regulate climate change, and global warming , by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. They maintain the natural cycle, while providing shade and cover to the soil .
As trees are cut down and burnt, carbon dioxide is released. This increases the heat intensity and exposes the top soil to extreme sunlight and flooding. This sets off a vicious cycle of erosion, desertification and drought.
Climate change cause extreme rainfall variations which impact erosion through flooding, desertification and drought, resulting in large-scale changes in vegetation in the Sahel region of Africa.
Desertification — When Fertile land becomes desert
Out of the 36 states in Nigeria, 11 states in the Northern region of Nigeria are overrun by the Desert. Together these states represent 43% of Nigeria’s land mass. Desertification and drought lead to conflict for scarce water and land resources, and eventually food insecurity.
In the desert area, temperatures can reach as high as 150 degrees Celsius, eliminating vegetation that could check the heat, whilst baking the sand to dusty loose patches. Eventually, wind storms scatter these sand patches around .
This has led to the gradual disappearance of Lake Chad. Lake Chad has shrunk by 90% since the 1960s, due to climate change, an increase in the population, and unplanned irrigation.
According to Nigeria’s National Meteorological Agency the rainy season in the north has dropped to 120 days from an average of 150 days over the past 30 years. This has reduced crop yields by 20 percent and led to a steady decline in food production.
As temperature rises, agricultural output decreases because of high evaporation rates, reduced soil moisture, lowering of the groundwater table and shrinking of surface water.
Nigerian farmers need to be provided with climate resilient seeds, and the rate of bush burning and gas flaring need to be reduced as they contribute greatly to speeding up the rate of of climate change across Nigeria.
Research indicates that the number of hot days in Nigeria could double if no action is taken. But people continue to cut down trees for cooking and baking of bread. According to an article by Heinrich Boll Stiftung, A typical bakery uses one tree per day — that’s one forest of 300 trees lost every day for Jigawa State alone. That’s just in one state !
Drought in Nigeria
Drought is the prolonged shortage of water.
It occurs when the natural precipitation in a given region is below-average for an extended time, leading to a prolonged decrease in atmospheric, surface and groundwater.
During the 1972–1973 West Africa drought, about 300,000 animals or 13% of the total livestock population of the northeastern region of Nigeria, died.
At the end of the 1987 growing season, about five million metric tons of grains valued at about $400 million were lost to drought.
Erosion in Nigeria
Erosion is the washing away of the top soil by water, which exposes the top soil to even more erosion, setting off a large movement of soil and land mass.
Gully erosion involves the formation of gullies which are too deep to be crossed by a vehicle. In Nigeria, this catastrophic form of erosion is largely man-made and due to poor environmental management and planning, such as the blockage of water ways and sewage systems.
Global warming has worsened erosion in Nigeria by intensifying rainfall which lead to flooding, and the flushing away of farmlands, forest, buildings and whole roads into gullies.
There are estimated 3,000 gullies present in southeastern Nigeria. These vary in size from a vast network eight kilometers long, with fingers extending up to two kilometers long.
The World bank estimates that the economic losses to Nigeria from erosion at more than $100 million/year in terms of injuries and premature death, loss of vegetation cover and environmental services, infrastructure and property damage, migration and income loss.
SOLUTIONS
A key motivation for writing this article on climate change was to change the narrative of focusing on the problems of climate change, but also considering new solutions and opportunities.
A key underlying theme I discovered across the different climate change conditions was the absence of DATA. Data on extreme weather and water variations, which could be used to manage and reduce the effects of Climate Change.
Solution 1 — Digitally Mapping the Environment
Using satellite, mobile and mapping technologies, I propose the design of a digital website platform that easily provides real-time data and imaging on:
• The rate of desertification
• Flood and river flow modelling
• Temperature and humidity measurements
• Regions of vegetative cover
This will enable anyone at anytime to be able to download relevant data to support decision making, and related projects and policies in the region.
The combination of two or more of these different data sources can yield unique insights. A good example of this is the Satellite Assisted Pastoral Resource Management (SAPARM Initiative) in Ethiopia.
Through this initiate custom grazing maps were developed based on satellite imaging combined with vegetation data from The World Food Program(WFP). This information was then communicated to cattle herders via mobile phones and enabled them successfully graze their livestock along areas of ample vegetation whilst reducing the effects of drought.
The results were impressive. A three-year study by Fordham University found that considering milk production, animal condition, herd growth and reduced scouting cost, the overall benefits to herders attributed to the map was $4,356 when compared to non-users of the map.
My proposed solution will provide a comprehensive platform for informing action on desertification, drought and erosion management
Solution 2 — Solar Energy + Greenhouse + Solar Irrigation
My second solution is a combination of solar energy and a Greenhouse. The solar energy provides abundant energy for cooking and for solar irrigation.
The Green house provides a controlled environment from the intense weather conditions, for the nurturing of drought tolerant and leguminous crops, which replenish the soil fertility with nitrogen. For example, tomatoes, olives, pepper, beans, and cucumber. The crops can be watered with drip irrigation which ensures optimal water use and increased crop production.
This water can be supplied from a desalinated water pumping system that is powered by solar energy. By utilizing low-quality brackish water (water that has a high salt content within these greenhouses), we can also produce salt water fish. This will provide an alternative source of protein and income for those dwelling in the desert zones of Nigeria.
The water used for fish production should be recycled for irrigation. By intermixing the desert salt water with fresh water, we can also produce cattle fodder which can be used to feed cattle and livestock.
For example, a Chinese company, China Sinomach Heavy Industry Corporation, is building greenhouses for Egypt to grow vegetables in the desert. Each greenhouse is larger than a football field. 3000 greenhouses stretching 30 square kilometers will be built at a unit cost of $134,000.
Egypt is 90 percent desert.
The implementation of this solution will not only halt desertification, but also increase crop production, livestock growth and create a thriving community for living in Northern Nigeria.
Solution 3 — Holistic Management and Planned Grazing
Historically, grazing animals travelled in a large flock to be protected from pack-hunting predators. These large herds release dung and urinate in a grazing region and keep moving. This movement ensured that these materials were stamped into the soil, providing good soil cover and increased fertility. This soil is ready to absorb and hold the rain to store carbon and break down methane.
Based on the work of Allan Savory, I propose using the holistic management and planned grazing, a planning process that addresses all of nature’s needs. This involves using a bunched and moving livestock to mimic nature by grazing across a defined route. This has been shown to sustain grassland growth which can absorb enough atmospheric carbon dioxide and reverse climate change.
Solution 4 -Gully Erosion Control
In combination with the digital monitoring of rainwater and flooding, gully cracks can be identified and stabilized. This can be done by constructing drainage to channel excess runoff to local base level stream/river. The constructing of embankment and grouting can stabilize the propagation of gully cracks.
The soil should be tested for acidity and construction materials should be acid resistant. If the gully is small, vegetation should be planted across the gully to reduce the water flow rate, trap silt and halt further erosion.
Brush check dams are built across the gully by driving wooden pegs into the ground and intertwining wood along the pegs, trapping silt behind the peg.
Dams can be constructed from loose boulders, which should be filled in 0.3 meters beneath the gully bed to prevent further erosion. Due to the higher slopes and rainfall in the South Eastern region of Nigeria, Gabions can be used. These are wire woven baskets filled with stones, that can be placed across the gully.
Other Solutions — Reduced Bush Burning, Afforestation, and Alternative Energy
In Africa we love to burn dead vegetation. This fire leaves the soil bare, releasing carbon. Burning one hectare of grassland gives off more carbon than 6,000 cars.
In Africa, over one billion hectares of grassland is burnt every year. In Nigeria, we should aim to reduce bush burning by the provision of alternative sources of energy e.g. solar energy and small (cooking gas)LPG cylinders for cooking.
According to the Nigeria Economic Support Group desertified economies can be rebuilt through new business ecosystems:
- Desertification control — Capacity building for 120 MSMEs growing to 3000 MSMEs engaged in agro-forestry/ re-greening activities, milk clusters and ranching
- LPG value chain: Distributing 6m cylinders via MSMEs, Reviving cook-stoves & gas plants, 50–100 gas processing plants in 5years, 5 inland terminals for the North East, North Central and North West regions of Nigeria, and 5000 LPG trucks and vessels.
This will not only reduce deforestation and hence climate change, but also create 1,925,358 jobs over 3 years.
CONCLUSION
In this article I have defined what climate change is, the negative effects of climate change in Nigeria — desertification, drought and erosion, and potential solutions.
The combination of these solutions will not only help us limit climate change, but also manage the environment with data, and create jobs. One vital aspect of Climate change I have not considered in this article is Gas Flaring. This will be covered in a follow up article.
UPDATE
You can read other articles on Nigeria and Africa: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Nigeria EndSars Protest, Solar Energy Nigeria Series, Nigeria YouWin Scheme, and Africa.
REFERENCES
Oladipo, E.O, 1992, ‘MANAGING DROUGHT FOR DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA’, 15th Annual Conference of the African Association of Australia and the Pacific, Victoria University, New Zealand,8–9 August 1992.
Etuonovbe, A.K, 2006, ‘Administering Marine Spaces: The Problem of Coastal Erosion in Nigeria, a Case Study of Forcados South Point, Delta State.’ Shaping the Change XXIII FIG Congress, Munich,Germany, Oct. 8–13, 2006.
Obiadi. I.I, Nwosu.C.M., Ajaegwu.N.E, Anakwuba.E.K, Onuigbo.N.E, Akpunonu.E.O, Ezim.O.E., 2010, ‘Gully Erosion in Anambra State, South East Nigeria: Issues and Solution’
International Journal of Environmental Sciencs Volume 2, No 2, 2011. Ajaero, C.K., Mozie, A.T.,2010, ‘The Agulu-Nanka gully erosion menace in Nigeria: what does the future hold for population at risk?’, Department of Geography, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
https://ng.boell.org/sites/default/files/marshall_plan_for_nigeria_nesg_report.pdf
https://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/how-control-gully-erosion
https://www.ted.com/talks/allan_savory_how_to_green_the_world_s_deserts_and_reverse_climate_change?language=en#t-1317840
https://medium.com/@PCI/innovative-satellite-solutions-to-ethiopia-s-drought-2b4ae64b200e
https://www.israel21c.org/top-10-ways-israel-fights-desertification/
https://theconversation.com/chinas-fight-against-desertification-should-not-be-done-at-the-cost-ofwater-security-83678
https://borgenproject.org/stop-desertification/
https://www.planetforward.org/idea/develop-a-global-greenhouse-to-combat-desertification
https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2017/02/tackle-repetitive-droughts-horn-africa-170214090108648.html
