Revisiting the Factors Responsible for Mineral Nutrient Production in Zamfara State

Abstract

The Earth’s critical zone (CZ) has been constantly evolving and changing over geological timescales, historically driven by tectonic and climatic forcings. Recently CZ changes have also been driven by anthropogenic factors occasioned by increases in population, which has increased demand for resources and expansion of agriculture, leading to unsustainable land use practices. As a result, about one-third of global arable lands have been eroded and degraded and they are continually being lost at a rate of about 0.5% a year. Soils are especially vulnerable to loss and degradation in different environments where lithology, climate and landscape may contribute to leaching out of mineral nutrient elements in the soils. In this paper we explored the factors that control mineral nutrient production in Zamfara state with a view to developing this area of research in the state.