EVALUATION OF THE EFFECT OF QUARRY ON MAIZE PRODUCTION IN MPAPE, FCT ABUJA, NIGERIA

This paper evaluates the effect of Quarry on maize production in Mpape area of FCT, Abuja, Nigeria. Date for the study area gathered from primary and secondary data collected through questionnaire were presented using table and charts, and Interpretation with the aid of statistical package for social science (SPSS) analysis. This finding revealed that 100% of the respondents affirm their knowledge about quarrying in the study area. The results also show that 95.6% of the respondents agreed that quarrying serves as a means of livelihood in the study area. The results also confirmed that 87% of respondents of the study agreed that before the commencement of quarrying in the study area, lauduse for majorly for agricultural purposes. The result revealed that 91.1% of the respondents agreed that earnings from quarrying are higher than agriculture. The study shows that 85.5% of the respondent believed that agricultural activity in the area has been reduced as a result of quarrying. Most of the respondents agreed that maize production has been hampered by quarrying through degradation of agricultural lands due to increasing activities in the area. 61.1% of the respondents were in support of this fact. The issue of land degradation in the study area is as a result of pressure on land for rock materials extraction which is done by open pit cast method. The study recommends that stringent law should be spelt out which will mandate that quarrying companies and groups of individuals to reclaim the land property after quarrying activity. The reclamation should go beyond sand filling with clay.