The Impact of Environmental Degradation on Women in Ohaozara and Ivo Local Government Areas of Ebonyi State, Nigeria

The Impact of Environmental Degradation on Women in Ohaozara and Ivo Local Government Areas of Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Abstract:

There are two broad types of environmental degradation, namely, the sudden disaster and the gradual types. This study examines the impact of the gradual type of environmental degradation on women in five typical rural communities in Ohaozara and lvo Local Government Areas of Ebonyi State, namely, Ishiagu, Uburu, Okposi, Akaeze and Ugwulangwu. In the two Local Governments Areas, women have three main environmentally based occupations, namely, pot-making (Ishiagu) salt-making (Uburu-Okpsi) and farming only (Ugwulangwu-Akaeze). The study area was clustered into three zones according to these occupations. Three research instruments were used: observations of the physical environment during transect walk, sample survey of women in the area and focus group discussions with selected women on the existence of environmental degradation and its impact on women. A sample of 150 women, 50 from each zone, were selected for the survey. For the focus group discussions were with four groups, each made up of eight women. The groups were drawn from two zones using age as a criterion for inclusion in the various groups. It was found that water sources are either drying up or becoming salty. Thick natural forests are cut for farmlands and settlements. The topsoils are being eroded and crops in the farms appeared poorly developed. The results of the survey showed very strong agreement among the respondents that the land is being degraded due to excessive use. Younger respondents, who needed the forests more and fetch water themselves, complained more about the degraded forests and water resources than the older ones, who rarely fetch firewood and water from the same sources themselves. In Ishiagu, 50% of the 20 respondents who used to make pots have abandoned the craft due to low income and low prestige accruing form the job while in Uburu-Okposi zone, 87.5% of the respondents who used to make salt have abandoned salt-making for the same reasons. Limited income and changes in occupation were identified as consequences of environmental degradation by at least 80% of respondents from all the zones. Some women now have to buy water and firewood, others rent farmlands. vii The scarcity of natural resources has led to the emigration of particularly male family members. Evidence of stress was reported by women whose male providers had emigrated because they have taken up male gender roles in addition to their female roles in sustaining the family. At least 60% of the respondents from all the zones have suffered from the effects of communal feuds caused by scarcity of land. The focus group discussants revealed that the problems started being felt in the 1970s because of the Nigerian Civil War. The women attributed the increase in hardship to sacrilege committed against the gods of the land. More than 70% identified the use of fertilisers as solution to poor crop yield, 50% advocated tree planting as solution to deforestation and 80% suggested digging wells as solution to water scarcity. There were variations of opinion on who should solve the environmental problems. While 68% in Ishiagu zone advocated the combination of efforts of Government and the communities, 66% from Uburu-Okposi said that Government alone should solve the problems. In addition, 66% from Ugwulangwu and Akaeze zone believed that the community alone can deal with the problem. The research revealed that the women in the area have organised women’s groups and these they often take advantage of in fighting against environmental problems It is recommended that a developmental model, which looks at the root causes of the environmental problems and which involves women as a critical group should be adopted. For example, the use of local knowledge of marching crops to soil type, crop rotation and use of natural manure to tackle the problem of poor crop yield should be adopted. Using the same developmental model, planting of trees and digging of wells should be adopted to tackle deforestation and water scarcity respectively.

The Impact of Environmental Degradation on Women in Ohaozara and Ivo Local Government Areas of Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Sharing is caring!