Adjustments to Hazards of Gully Erosion in Rural Southeast Nigeria: A Case of Amucha Communities

Debora Okuh¹ and Ikenna E Osumgborogwu^1,

¹Department of Geography and Environmental Management, Imo State University, Owerri, Nigeria

Cite this paper:
Debora Okuh and Ikenna E Osumgborogwu. Adjustments to Hazards of Gully Erosion in Rural Southeast Nigeria: A Case of Amucha Communities. Applied Ecology and Environmental Sciences. 2019; 7(1):11-20. doi: 10.12691/aees-7-1-2

Abstract

Gully erosion, a natural process that can be accelerated by human activities, is a recognised global scale geomorphic hazard. In the face of hazards, humans adjust, this adjustment is brought about in different ways such as relocation, insurance or self-protection, personal-effort and community-effort. The aim of this study was to ascertain adjustment measures adopted by local population to mitigate hazards of gully erosion in the Amucha area of Imo State. To achieve this aim, questionnaire survey, oral interview and field measurements were used. Results showed two adjustment measures are adopted in Amucha area; personal adjustments and community-led adjustments. Personal adjustment measures adopted by population included relocation (46.8%), use of ridges (23.2%), shifting habitation (17.7%) and intensified cultivation (12.3%). Community-led adjustments comprised construction of drainage channels to reduce flooding; a derived hazard of gully erosion (31.1%), tree planting at community lands (25.5%), and ban on deforestation and soil excavation which accounted for 21.7% of responses each. Chi-square analysis based on responses showed that adjustment measures adopted by local population is significant in reducing hazards of gully erosion, especially, flooding. This Chi-square result was authenticated with oral interview. It is recommended that appropriate farming techniques and insurance against gully hazards be adopted in the study area.

Keywords:
adjustment gully erosion flooding hazard chi-square test

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