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Socio-Economic Drivers of Land Cover Change and Vegetation Depletion in Jega Local Government Area, Kebbi State, Nigeria

Mansur M.A.1, Salisu, I.A1, Atiku M.1, Ambursa A.S.1, Abdulrahman A.1, 2 Augie M.A.1, Gwimmi D, ., Umar, I, ., Nafiu, A.K, Wele, H.K., Muhammad, Z, F.U. Zogirma

Abstract

In Nigeria's semi-arid regions, where people rely on natural resources for their livelihoods, land cover change and vegetation depletion continue to be major environmental problems. This study used a mixed-method research methodology that included structured surveys (n=216), focus groups, and key informant interviews to examine socioeconomic factors influencing land cover changes in Kebbi State's Jega Local Government Area. Private land ownership predominates (57.7%), whereas agriculture is the most common occupation (66.7%), followed by non-farming activities (25.9%). Residents have a bimodal education profile with Arabic/Islamic education (36.3%) and tertiary education (35.8%) being the most common educational qualifications. Soil erosion is the highest environmental problem (55.35%). Fuel wood is the major source of energy for 71.8% of respondents. The study also found that 60% of the respondents were planting trees to protect the environment and to create shade but only 15% were gotten seedlings from the Forestry Department. Specifically, these results are consistent with those obtained recently in other studies from semi-arid regions of Nigeria where about 60-75% of the people are multi dimensionally poor as a result of land degradation (Ahmed, 2024).

Keywords

Land cover changesocio-economic driversvegetation depletionJega LGAsustainable land managementfuel wood dependence

References

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