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Ecological implications of Fulbe pastoralism in southwestern Nigeria
Author(s) -
Omotayo Akin M.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
land degradation and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.403
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1099-145X
pISSN - 1085-3278
DOI - 10.1002/ldr.565
Subject(s) - pastoralism , arable land , geography , human settlement , livestock , productivity , rangeland , land use , grazing , agroforestry , sustainability , socioeconomics , agricultural economics , agriculture , ecology , forestry , economic growth , archaeology , economics , environmental science , biology
The study used a combination of ethno‐social surveys and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to assess 651 pastoral households and their land use under agropastoral production systems in Ogun State, Nigeria. Yields of arable crops on agropastoralists' fields were generally low. Livestock productivity was similar on all parameters to levels in comparable contexts elsewhere across the West African subregion, but generally below possible potentials and on‐farm research findings. Pastoral households' activities presently influence between 221 km 2 and 523 km 2 of land in Ogun State. Pastoral grazing orbits extended beyond administrative boundaries, causing potential conflicts between local crop farmers and agropatoralists. Much of the land‐cover has been altered considerably around the areas of pastoral household settlements compared with the situation 20 years ago. It was concluded that a form of intervention was needed that would guarantee sustainability of the land‐use system. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.