Abstract

Environmental degradation of the oil-rich Gokana Local government area has been wanton and continuous with dire health, social and economic consequences for its peoples, for over three decades. The study was based on the result of environmental impact studies conducted on the SPDC-Bomu manifold oil pipe explosion of 12^th April, 2009 and its impact on agricultural production in K-dere, Deken, Kpor and Biara communities. Using a sample of 400 crop farmers drawn randomly from the 4 communities, the negative impact of hydrocarbon fire on crop production was accentuated. Hydrocarbon fire caused acid rain that reduced crop yield, land productivity and greatly depressed farm income as a 10 percentage increase in hydrocarbon fire reduced crop yield by 13% while farm income plummeted by 25.5%. In order to halt the continual degradation of the Niger Delta environment, the authors recommend enactment and enforcement of stringent environmental laws to protect the area as well as the implementation of policies to reduce the crushing level of poverty and guarantee a better livelihood for the people.

Keywords:

Hydrocarbon fire, land productivity, low crop yield, natural resource degradation, small-scale farmers,

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The authors have no competing interests.

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