Erosion control in Anambra state have been on the high point over the last 10 years courtesy of the NEWMAP. Many research findings have enumerated the causes of gully erosion but one of the most authentic sources would be from the construction experts in the field who have had direct encounter and challenge in managing the problem.
The Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) is an eight year innovative and multi-sectoral project initiated by the Federal Government of Nigeria and some select states of which Anambra state is among and financed by the World Bank to address and resolve challenges related to soil erosion, climate change and to develop renewable energy sources in the several target states.
NEWMAP, Anambra which was launched on 26th June, 2014 is a tripartite arrangement between Anambra state government, Federal Government of Nigeria and World Bank with funding from Global Economic Facility (GEF) and Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF). It was initiated with the idea of having more organized and sustainable fight back against the danger of gully erosion and the frightening devastation of our ecology by reclaiming damaged areas and resuscitating them through wholistic watershed management approach that includes civil structures, flexible materials and vegetative cover/bio-remediation. This land reclamation is very important because statistics have it that 36 – 40% of Anambra land have been taking over by gullies and every day, population and actions that create more gullies and aggravate existing ones are on the increase.
According to the scheme, the menace of gully erosion is mostly caused by the wrong attitude towards the environment. Most deep gullies were caused by abruptly terminated water channels, improper control of storm water, deliberate deforestation, burning of bushes and indiscriminate sand mining. This is in agreement with what is found in most literatures on the situation.
The impact of this gully erosion are in the form of severe flooding and rapid landslides, forming deep gullies which are characterized by fatalities, displacement of people, loss of livelihood, damage to critical infrastructures, destruction of farmlands, and harvest losses that create hunger and disease outbreak.
Anambra NEWMAP, despite the numerous challenges of erosion control in Nigeria that include:
- Improper planning
- Inadequate funding
- Lack of technical depth and experience in handling gully erosion
Have over the period of eight years, through its unique integrated watershed management style which involves good planning and design, been able to intervene in thirteen (13) major gully erosion sites in Anambra state. This number is still very small compared to what still need to be done. Communities should help the situation by:
- Ensuring that wastes are managed properly to avoid clogging drains.
- Sensitizing people to imbibe behavioural change and step away from practices that expose soil to erosion.
- Reclaimed sites are kept on vigilance and not used for activities that triggered the problem initially.
The gully erosion menace has been on the increase due to high rainfalls associated with climate change. The menace is affecting different parts of the world and one can find Excerpts from AGERP lecture series on soil erosion held on 23rd July, 2021: Lessons for the Nigerian situation on current practices that experts in developed countries of the world like USA and Australia are using to fight against the situation. Their ideas can be much valuable for our situation.
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