Curtailing Desertification in Nigeria: FPB Biomass
Briquettes, a Viable Alternative to Firewood
Desertification is an environmental problem that
leads to environmental degradation whose cost to humanity is enormous.
Associated with the problems of environmental degradation are the deepening
poverty, inequality and social marginalization which have also resulted in
diminishing human security. In various parts of Nigeria especially among the
rural dwellers, the pressure on the ecosystem and land is increasing, with
growing rate of unsustainable exploitation of land due to population increase
and drought. Poverty and environmental degradation are linked in a vicious
circle in which people cannot afford to take proper care of the environment.
Poverty has been and remains a major cause and consequence of environmental
degradation and resource depletion. Desertification is both an environmental
and developmental problem. It affects local environments and populations’ ways
of life. Its effects, however, have more global ramifications concerning
biodiversity, climate change and water resources. The degradation of terrain is
directly linked to human activities constituting a major obstacle to the
sustainable development of Nigerian agriculture.
The effect of desertification in Nigeria is
enormous, over 350,000 ha of arable land is affected by desertification in
Nigeria. It has been estimated that about 45 % of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno,
Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara States are
affected by desertification and wind erosion. These states, with a population
of over 50 million people, account for 38% of the country's total land. The causes
of desertification in Nigeria were catalogued in the report of National Action
Programme to Combat Desertification in the Federal Ministry of Environment. In
the report, some specific causes of desertification were identified, among the
major ones are excessive wood extraction for fuel and construction, bush
burning and uncontrolled land clearing
for agricultural purposes. In these nine frontline states, the indiscriminate
cutting of trees for firewood is the major cause of deforestation, which
accelerates desertification in the area. The challenge to stakeholders is how
to stop the inhabitants of these areas from felling of trees as energy source
for cooking. Stopping this environmentally unfriendly practice requires providing a better alternative
source of energy to the people in the area.
The challenge was taken by Federal Polytechnic
Bauchi (FPB) in collaboration with Development Initiative for African Women
(DIFAW), an NGO based in North East. Federal
Polytechnic Bauchi used
its formidable team of researchers to develop biomass briquettes as a veritable
alternative to firewood for cooking in both rural and urban areas. The feat was
achieved after two years (2012 to 2014) of quality research work.
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