Assessment of the Impact of Flooding on Crop Production in Riverine Communities of Delta State

Seasonal flooding in the Delta State riverine zone is a recurrent challenge that destroys standing crops, erodes soil fertility, and disrupts agricultural calendars, and quantifying its impact on smallholder crop production is important for designing adaptation strategies. This study assessed the impact of flooding on crop production in Ukwuani and Aniocha South LGAs, Delta State, South South Nigeria. A descriptive survey was conducted among 100 farming households selected by multistage random sampling following the 2022 flood event. A structured questionnaire assessed crop types affected, area of cropland flooded, estimated yield losses, recovery actions taken, and farmers' adaptive responses. Field observation confirmed flood water extent from satellite imagery. Results showed that 74 percent of surveyed farm households lost 50 percent or more of their planted crop area to flooding. Cassava, yam, and plantain were the most affected crops, with respective yield loss estimates of 62.3 percent, 58.7 percent, and 71.4 percent. Post-flood soil quality degradation, including sand deposition and organic matter leaching, was reported by 88 percent of farmers. Only 31 percent had replanted the affected area by the end of the study period. Government compensation was accessed by only 14 percent of flood-affected households. The study concludes that flooding represents a critical and growing threat to agricultural livelihoods in the Delta State riverine zone and recommends flood-tolerant variety deployment, raised-bed cultivation on flood-prone soils, and flood early warning systems linked to NEMA agricultural loss response protocols.

Keywords: flooding, crop production, riverine agriculture, Delta State, flood impact