ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS OF RIVER ASA WATER POLLUTION VIS-À-VIS FARMING ACTIVITIES ALONG ITS BANKS IN ILORIN ENVIRONS, NIGERIA

Oladimeji, Y.U., 1Abdulsalam, Z., Adepoju, S.A., Adisa, O.Y. & Abdulrahman, S.

ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS OF RIVER ASA WATER POLLUTION VIS-À-VIS FARMING ACTIVITIES ALONG ITS BANKS IN ILORIN ENVIRONS, NIGERIA

Date

2016

Authors

Oladimeji, Y.U., 1Abdulsalam, Z., Adepoju, S.A., Adisa, O.Y. & Abdulrahman, S.

Publisher

Proceedings of the conference of the National Association of Agricultural Economists held at FUT Owerri 2016

Abstract

ABSTRACT The study was carried out in River Asa of Ilorin, Nigeria to assess physicochemical parameters of the water and level of its pollution vis-à-vis the farming activities along its banks. A two stage systematic random sampling technique was used to select 120 fishery and vegetable farming households used for this study. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. Surface water samples were also collected, analysed and measured for some physicochemical properties. The pH, dissolved oxygen and temperature were measured with their respective meters. Total dissolved solid, Nitrate and Ammonia were determined using standard methods recommended by the American Public Health Association. Heavy metals were determined using Atomic Absorptions Spectrophotometer. The study established a differential physicochemical property among pre and post River Asa water. Result also revealed that fish caught per fisher folk and crop output per ha differed between the two settlements largely due to the level of discharged of domestic and industrial effluents into River Asa. This could have direct relationship with reasonable mean fish output recorded in Laduba (286.5Kg per fisherfolk per month) and Kajola-Afon (280.3Kg). However, Asa-osin and Lower-Asa fishing settlements recorded a lower fish output of 155.3Kg and 129.2Kg respectively. A suitable indicator could be developed through tchdogs in collaboration with all water users to measure activities of all Asa river users to ensure that the water resources are managed sustainably and transparently to support inclusive economic and human development.