Socio-Economic Impact Of Sand Encroachment On Farming Systems Case Study: River Nile State (Kaboshya Scheme)

Abstract

Degradation of vegetation cover ,which is a result of both natural factors (decrease in rainfall) and human activities (tree cutting), is an important factor for sand encroachment in the Deposition of sands led to reduction of cultivable areas, especially farms at the periphery of the scheme. The crop productivity in the scheme has declined especially during the last five years. Also the study revealed that all farmers in the scheme utilized fertilizers to increase the production, this sign of soil fertility depletion as the result of sands particles mixing with the agricultural fertile soil. The Risk of deterioration of sands in the study area is clearly manifested in irrigation processes. Sands storms reduced the agricultural production and sometimes farmers refrain from cultivating summer crops.