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Assessment Of Soil Degradation
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
Human activities exert tremendous effects on land cover through a variety of land uses. Human use of land has altered the structure and functioning of the ecosystem (Turner et al., 1994). Land, whether in tropical or temperate regions land is being used for the purpose of growing trees, crops, and animals for food, as well as building sites for houses and roads, or for recreational purposes among others (Hartemink et al., 2008).
Globally, land use/land cover has changed considerably in the past decades - mostly reflecting the enormous growth in human population and their need for food, shelter and other necessities of life. Changing demography and particularly the changing age structure of populations, a high rate of urbanization, and a faster rate of population growth in relation to economic growth (Braimoh, 2003; Ouedraogo, et al., 2010), are major drivers of environmental change with significant negative impacts on the natural resource base. Demographic change therefore constitutes a major driver of land use/land cover change (LULCC): Its primary and most direct impact is through opening up of new land for agriculture, settlement and infrastructural development, although other extractive activities such as logging and mining are also significant (FAO, 2003). The world's population has doubled smce 1960 (Hartemink, 2006). The developing world accounts for about 95% of the population growth with sub¬ Saharan Africa as the world's fastest growing region (Hartemink, 2006). The growing population has many implications but most of all it requires an increase in agricultural production to meet food demand. This demand can be met by expansion of agricultural land or by intensification of existing systems. Clearing of new lands, for whatever purpose has long been common in areas with rapidly growing populations (Kates, 2000; Braimoh, 2003 ; Ouedraogo, et al., 2010).
Land resources have been altered by rapid land use and cover changes accelerated by changeable socio-economic factors including high population growth, rapid urbanization (Fabiyi, 2006), agricultural intensification and government policies (Entwisle et al., 1998; Mather et al., 2000; Braimoh, 2003 ; Ouedraogo, et al. , 2010). Human pressure upon land resources and interactions between varying climatic characteristics facilitate changes in land use/land cover (Hartemink et al., 2008). In the absence of alternative livelihood opportunities and proper management of the environment, this rapid population growth and urbanization has resulted in environmental degradation and resource depletion. Between 1990 and 2000, sub-Saharan Africa lost 52 million hectares of forests which amounts to a decrease of 0.8% per year and 56% of the global total. It is estimated that 60% of the tropical forest areas cleared in Africa as a whole between 1990 and 2000 were converted to permanent agricultural smallholdings (FAO, 2003).
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