Map analysis of soil erodibility rates and gully erosion sites in Anambra State, South Eastern Nigeria
Nigeria faces severe food security challenges caused by insecurity, flooding, and soil erosion. In the north, insecurity has prevented many farmers from accessing their farms, while in the south, especially in Anambra State, gully erosion is causing a severe menace not only to farmers and their farm...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
De Gruyter
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Open Geosciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1515/geo-2025-0830 |
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| Summary: | Nigeria faces severe food security challenges caused by insecurity, flooding, and soil erosion. In the north, insecurity has prevented many farmers from accessing their farms, while in the south, especially in Anambra State, gully erosion is causing a severe menace not only to farmers and their farmlands but also to properties, and even social infrastructures in the state are not spared. Many research studies have been carried out on soil erosion and gullies in Anambra State, and solutions have been suggested, yet the menace continues. There are also conflicting reports from researchers about the actual number of gully erosion sites in Anambra State including disparities in the estimated soil erodibility in the state. This study analysed and mapped the susceptibility of soils to rainfall erosivity (high, medium, and low) and gully erosion sites in Anambra State. It reveals that the differences in erodibility result from sources of soil data and their spatial resolution. Climatically, the state falls within Koppen’s Af region, with the mean annual temperature and rainfall of around 27°C and 1,870 mm, respectively. The data requirements for this study were from primary and secondary sources. The primary data include field visits, observations, measurements, photographs, soil specimens, experimentation, and brain sensing. The secondary data sources include the Internet, related literature, soil data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and satellite images. Geographic information system-based analyses were done using ArcGIS 10.4.1. The results are presented in two-dimensional topographic raster and vector overlaid maps of Anambra State, showing the geological formations, areas in the state with high-, medium-, and low-susceptibility to soil erodibility, and the existing gully erosion sites in the state. |
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| ISSN: | 2391-5447 |