Effect of Seasonal Rainfall Variability on Soil Hydraulic Properties and Adaptation Strategies Employed by Small-Scale Farmers for Sustainable Management and Productivity

Abstract

The present research work aimed to determine the effect of seasonal rainfall variability on soil hydraulic properties and adaptation strategies employed by the small scale farmers for sustainable management and productivity in Mubi North LGA, of Adamawa State. Three (3) farmlands were e selected in the area namely Mayo-Bani, Digil and Muchala where Ten (10) soil auger points were collected using random sampling method at the depth of 0-30 cm and 30-60 cm during the Beginning, Middle and End of rainy seasons making the total of Sixty (60) soil samples in each location totaling to One Hundred and Eighty (180) soil samples respectively. Standard laboratory procedures were adopted in analyzing the soil data. Similarly, fifty (50 participatory farmers were randomly selected in each location totaling to One hundred and fifty (150) sample population where well-defined and structured questionnaires were administered to them on the adaptation strategic techniques employed towards soil and water conservation in the area. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to find out the variation of soil hydraulic properties as influence by rainfall variability while for the questionnaires descriptive statistics was used respectively. The results revealed that the sandy loam textured soils dominated the area with very low to high TP (10.9-56.22 %), low high Bd (1.23-1.9 g/cm

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