Soil Erosion Assessment and Conservation Measures in Farming Communities of Enugu State

This study assesses soil erosion severity and evaluates conservation measures in farming communities of Enugu State, South East Nigeria. Enugu State is characterised by deeply dissected terrain and highly erodible sandy loam soils that make it one of Nigeria's most severely erosion-affected states. Gully erosion, sheet erosion, and rill erosion annually destroy farmland, damage roads, and undermine rural livelihoods in the Udi, Awgu, and Nkanu areas. This study uses a combination of field measurement, GIS analysis, and household survey methods to assess erosion extent and evaluate the performance of conservation structures. The Universal Soil Loss Equation is parameterised using rainfall erosivity, soil erodibility, slope gradient, and vegetation cover data from three farm sites in Udi, Awgu, and Nkanu East local government areas. GIS-based erosion risk mapping is conducted using Landsat imagery. A survey of 180 farmers assesses adoption of conservation measures including terracing, contour bunding, cover cropping, and agroforestry. Findings reveal that predicted soil loss exceeds the permissible threshold of 11 tonnes per hectare per year on 67 percent of sampled farm areas, with gully formation active on 23 percent of sites. Conservation measure adoption is low, with only 18 percent of farmers practicing contour bunding. The study concludes that soil erosion is a critical agricultural production threat in Enugu State. It recommends community-based conservation programme intensification and engineering support for gully rehabilitation.

Keywords: soil erosion, conservation measures, Enugu State, USLE, gully erosion.