Nguru Wetland: Arable Rice and Wheat Fields in Yobe State
by Abubakar Muhammad Muktar
My storytelling is about Nguru wetlands, a very rich ecosystem with a vast array of arable rice and wheat fields in Yobe state, Nigeria, west Africa. The Nguru wetlands are located in the Northwestern part of Yobe state. It is a segment of the Hadejia-Nguru wetlands (NHWs) geographically located in an area in the Southern edge of the Sahel Savanna in the Northeastern region of Nigeria, comprising permanent lakes and seasonally flooded pool, connected by a network of channels (Ringim, et. al., 2015)
Birdlife International, 2015 reported that at one time in history, the Hadejia-Nguru wetlands occupied an area of about 3000 km². The wetlands supported at least 250 species of flowering plants, over 136 types of aquatic flora and fauna, more than 13 species of fishes and 378 species of birds (Oduntan, et. al., 2010). The HNWs served as a major source of fish, supplying approximately 6% of Nigeria's inland fish catches with a market value of nearly US $300,000 per annum (birdlife International, 2015). The HNWs has been the first inland wetlands in Nigeria, recognised as 'Wetlands of International Importance' and marked as Ramsar site.
However, my storytelling is focused on the challenges faced by the Nguru segment of the wetlands ecosystems, which are briefly discussed below. These challenges were personally investigated through research to be shared for an action plan by all stakeholders.
Nguru wetland: Identified Challenges And Possible Solutions For A Sustainable Ecosystems, Economic Growth And Development.
Basically, the Nguru wetland is faced with three (3) unique challenges that threaten its survival. Each one of the challenges is critical and poses a significant threat to the survival of this rich ecosystem. And each requires a holistic approach and collaborative effort to be tackled for the continuous benefits offered by the wetland.
1) Typha grass
This is an alien grass that invaded the wetlands since the late 1970s, and colonised considerably hectares sites of fishing areas, agricultural fields, grazing areas, ponds, canals and channels, redirecting water flow, causing flooding, sedimentation, siltation and pollution in the downstream. I got to interview one local farmer among the community living around the wetland; he told me that prior to the rapid development and proliferation of Typha grass, in 10 hectares of rice fields, he could harvest more than 200 bags of rice. But as it stands today, he can hardly cultivate and harvest 50 bags of rice in the same hectares of lands, because no matter what effort they make, the grass would grow along with the crop, and eventually overpower and kill most of their inputs.
Control
1. Intervention by both Federal, State and Local Governments is the first line of action needed;
2. Participation of both local and international environmental NGOs is crucial;
3. Local communities living along the Nguru wetland should be empowered to control the proliferation of typha grasses through the provision of proper tools, herbicides, funds etc; and
4. Dalapon and Glyphosate are herbicides widely used for controlling invasive species globally. This is because it is a relatively non-toxic chemical that does not persist in the environment. Other herbicides also used are 2, 4-D, Monuron, MCPA, TCA, Amitrole, Diuron, 2, 2-DPA, Terbutryn and Tandex, which are all regarded non-toxic and non-persist chemicals in the environment.
2) Upstream river channels diversion
The Nguru wetland's size is fast reducing, and already, some fractions have dried up resulting from low water inundation which led to habitat and ecosystems loss. The construction of Tiga and Challawa Dams in Kano State, Hadejia Irrigation project in Jigawa State, and the proposed Kafin Zaki Dam in Bauchi State upon all the natural channels that directly recharge the Nguru wetland have for decades contributed negatively to the shrinkage and desiccation of the wetland.
Control
1. The national assembly must weigh in the issue and save the wetland from drying up, by making or reviewing the existing laws on water diversion projects along the tributaries recharging the Nguru wetland from its natural sources;
2. Looking at the current situation of the wetland, it is very vital for the Federal and Yobe State Governments to come together and initiate a dredging project on the fragile so as to conserve the water resources for sustainable ecosystems and economic development; and
3. The Nigerian government should seek support from the United Nation Environment Programme (UNEP), as the Nguru wetland is one of the wetlands declared as the Wetland of International Importance by the United Nation.
3) Climate change
The impacts of climatic changes are already being felt globally, in the form of extreme heat, increased evaporation, torrential rainfall in humid and subhumid climate, shortage rainfall in arid and semiarid climate, erosion across rainforest zones, regions, drought in arid regions, melting glaciers in polar regions, flooding across coastal cities and towns, sandstorm and desertification in drylands, low agricultural yields, famine and starvation, the outbreak of diseases, sickness and death. Many factors result in climate change, among which is deforestation. Trees are natural carbon sinks, and each time a tree is fell down, carbon molecules are allowed to move freely in the atmosphere, thus trapping the outgoing heat and warming the planet earth. The Nguru wetland is suffering from serious deforestation by the local uninformed communities collecting firewoods in commercial quantities for domestic energy needs. This, in turn, results in habitat loss and negatively affects biodiversity around the wetland. Thus, impairs the quality of the soil and affects people's livelihoods.
Control
1. The Nguru wetland conservation office should be reequipped with all the resources needed to effectively tackle the deforestation activities taking place around the wetland;
2. Massive afforestation programme is encouraged to be undertaken by all stakeholders (the governments, the NGOs, and the local communities); and
3. Awareness campaign by government and NGOs on the danger and effect of deforestation on the wetland ecosystems, which subsequently affect the socio-economic activities of the locals through all means of communications is key.
About
My name is Abubakar Muhammad Muktar, born in Nguru local government in Yobe state, Nigeria. I attended both my basic and high schools in Nguru town. From there, I proceeded to Federal Polytechnic Damaturu for my National Diploma programs in Estate Management and in Computer Science. Thereafter, I secured admission into Federal University Dutse, Jigawa State for my undergraduate program and obtained Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management and Toxicology.