Perceived Impact of Environmental Disasters on Crop Production in Ogoni Area of Rivers State

Abstract

The study examined the perceived impact of environmental disasters on crop production in Ogoni area of Rivers State. Three research questions were answered with three corresponding null hypotheses that were formulated and tested at 0.05 significance level. The target population of the study consist of 1684 registered farmers from the four Local Government Areas that constitute Ogoni. Purposive sampling technique was adopted for the selection of 784 registered farmers. The instrument for data collection adopted a 4– point summated rating scale of agreement. The instrument was validated by the researcher’s supervisor and two experts in the Department of Vocational and Technology Education in Rivers State University, Port Harcourt. The reliability of the instrument was established through test-retest method. A reliability coefficient of 0.87 was established for the instrument using Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) statistic. Research questions were answered with mean statistics while hypotheses were tested with Analysis of Variance. The study found that flood, oil spillage, and erosion has a negative impact on crop production through destruction of farmland and cultivated crops in Ogoni areas of Rivers State. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended among others that companies that engage in oil exploration activities in Ogoni areas of Rivers State should be responsible in their corporate social responsibility towards host communities whose environment is devastated by their activities. Also, agricultural extension workers and other agencies should intensify efforts to inculcate healthy agricultural practices and environment preservation.