IMPACT OF URBAN POULTRY FARMS ACTIVITIES ON KUJE SUBURBIA ENVIRONMENT, ABUJA, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

The 21st  Century has been characterised with an unprecedented rate of urbanisation. Presently, about 50% of global population are resident in cities, and this is projected to rise to 70% in year 2050. This rapid rate of urbanisation is associated with unemployment and urban food security challenges. To address the food security challenges in cities, urban residents have embraced the practice of urban agriculture – a practice which involves the production of animals and crops in urban and peri-urban areas. The study examined the impacts of urban poultry farm activities on Kuje Suburbia environment, Abuja. The aim is to assess the major pollutants emitted from the poultry farms, and their environmental impacts on surface water, soil and air quality with a view to proffering planning and management solution towards sustainable and healthy environment in Abuja. The study adopts a triangulation approach involving the practice of using multiple sources of data to analysing data to enhance the credibility of a research study. The study employed geospatial, experimental and quantitative approaches to address the research questions for this study. The study employed two stage sampling technique, random sampling technique of poultry farms based on scale of operation and purposive sampling nearest to the residents within 500 meters away. Six (6) selected poultry farms operating in Kuje were sample and test for possible pollutant of the test analysis on the samples – surface water, borehole water and well water. A laboratory sample test and measurement was carried out to determine the physiochemical parameters of water (surface, borehole and well water), soil and air quality on poultry farms activities in Kuje Suburbia.  The analysis results revealed the presence of some concentration of heavy metals above the WHO/NESREA recommended standard. Findings reveals high concentration of heavy metals in water, soil and air quality by activities of the poultry farm in Chibiri community. Furthermore, the Lead present in the soil sampled at the four locations were above the permissible limits. A high concentration of Lead in the body may result in severe and permanent brain damage, convulsion and death. The air quality analysis in the study area revealed the presence of some pollutants which is caused by the poultry activities, this implies that the poultry activities in the study area have adverse effect on residents and this could result into serious health challenges. Data were collected with the use of structured questionnaire. A total of 360 respondents were administered questionnaire for the study. The perceived knowledge of the residents on impacts of poultry farms activities revealed a mean rank score of 4.60. Also, it was revealed that, 61.1% of the respondents complained about the locations of the poultry farms pollutes their environment with bad odour and 28.3% complaint that the poultry farms attracts rats/flies into the environment. In conclusion, the study has shown that the poultry farms activities have adverse impacts on their environment in Kuje sub-urbia. The study recommends among others the need for appropriate distance between poultry farms and residences to be determined and enforced by regulatory authority. This will help to mitigate the effects of environmental pollution /health hazards on the residents.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0       INTRODUCTION

1.1       Background to the Study

The 21st  Century has been characterised with an unprecedented rate of urbanisation. Presently, about 50% of global population are resident in cities, and this is projected to rise to 70% in year 2050 (Ngome and Mulinya, 2018). Similarly, 50% of Nigeria’s population is classified as urban and this has been projected to rise to 57% in 2025 (Bloch et al., 2015). This rapid rate of urbanisation is associated with unemployment and urban food security challenges. To address the food security challenges in cities, urban residents have embraced the practice of urban agriculture a practice which involves the production of animals and crops in urban and peri-urban areas (Tornaghi, 2014).

Mechlem (2004) noted that food is a fundamental right that has been recognised in the General Statement of Human Rights. Sassi et al. (2018) also noted that, the human rights approach to food security recognises the obligation of the government to ensure that they feed their citizens with adequate and nutritious food. However, it has been observed that governments all over the world have not been able to meet up with this obligation (Hossain et al., 2015).

As an effort to combat urban food insecurity and unemployment, residents both in the urban and peri-urban areas in the Global South are engaged in urban farming (Tacoli, 2017). Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) (2010), reported that 22.8% of the population of sub-Saharan Africa is hungry. In Nigeria Idrissa et al. (2008) observed that about 66% of the country’s population are food poor. Urban agriculture includes backyard farming and its widely recognised in addressing urban nutritional deficiencies, unemployment, increasing urban poverty, mostly bought about by rapid rural-urban migration, structural adjustment policy, economic transition, and improved agricultural policies (Taylor and Lovell, 2012; Taiwo and Falohun, 2016). Among others in Nigeria, the poultry industry is the most developed animal industries and urban agriculture. Generally, the growing of poultry industry all started as an effect of the high demand of energy and protein, rapid income rate and short period of incubation (that is 21 days) which have more advantages of poultry above other livestock animals (Mokwunye, 2000).

Poultry farming is one of the major urban agricultural practices in Nigeria. It is a vital approach toward providing urban residents with the required protein intake in form of eggs and meat. To buttress the foregoing FAO (2007) observed that in the worldwide poultry production has made some tremendous changes in order to meet the increasing demand for economical and safe distribution of meat and egg. This increase in demand has been accompanied by organizational changes within the sector, which is characterised by the development and growth in commercial and trade farming establishments as well as the increase of poultry processes (FAO, 2007). Following the observation of Sassi et al. (2018), poultry farming is capable of addressing the four core scopes of food safety, vis-a-vis food availability, food access, food consumption and food permanency. However, poultry farming has been associated with a plethora of health and environmental impacts (Foeken, 2006).

Large scale poultry farming has been linked to the outbreak of epidemics such as respiratory diseases like tuberculosis, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Avian Influenza (H5N1) as well as Salmonella (FAO, 2010; Hu et al., 2017; Foeken, 2006; Oduwaiye et al., 2017). Greger and Koneswaran (2010) also reported the link between poultry farming in residential areas and the emergence of new disease pathogens.

In the year 2006, before the outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Nigeria, the poultry population was estimated to be around 150 million of which the large majority was observed to be local chickens and the minority was observed to be exotic breeds. Yerima and Emeka-Okolie, (2008) whose faecal discharges engenders severe respiratory disorders. These negative health impacts of poultry farming are developed and transmitted during the poultry production process; and the transmission of the diseases is facilitated when the poultry farms are located in or close to residential areas (Hu et al., 2017; Oduwaiye et al., 2017).

Poultry farming is also associated with environmental pollution, especially air pollution (Van de-Steeq et al., 2009; Reeve et al., 2013; Pohl et al., 2017). The air pollution arising from poultry farms is a major cause of farmers-resident’s conflicts (Ritz et al., 2005). Urban agriculture has been identified as a potent and sustainable approach towards ensuring urban food security (Veenhuizen, 2006) and also attaining the green cities target equally (FAO, 2010; Pearson and Pearson, 2010). Urban agriculture, including poultry production, is therefore, a very vital tool in attaining the spatial planning ideals of biophilic/nature-sensitive urban planning and design (Koont, 2011). However, in realisation of the likelihood of negative environmental effects arising from urban poultry production, Van de-Steeq et al. (2009) suggested the need to evaluate the environmental effects of poultry production in urban areas and how these impacts are linked to health/hazard outcomes and value of life of the residents.

Also, in the wake of the current Corona Virus pandemic (COVID-19), people are lawfully worried about the places where they live are affecting their health and wellbeing. To mitigate public health impact, social (physical) distancing as a measure to interrupt transmission among residents was suggested by Velavan and Meyer (2020), to avoid seemingly perilous density of metropolis. The (COVID-19) origin and transmission developed from rapid globalization and urban growth, which aided transmission from animal to humans, from one person to another person, from one city to the other, and from a country to another country (Ng et al., 2020). Thus, pose a renew critiques of densely concentrated living, the connectivity of people and places that necessitate the re- assessment of spatial implication of livestock farms in and around cities and urban areas. It is in line with the foregoing arguments that this study, therefore, examines the impacts of poultry farms activities on Kuje suburbia environment Abuja, Nigeria.

1.2       Statement of the Research Problem

The effects of poultry farms have been studied from various perspectives. Delgado et al. (2016) in their research indicated that meat consumption is growing globally, and this has led to the increasing of livestock litters that poses environmental hazards. Kalhor et al. (2016) specifically focused their studies on pollutants from poultry production, the emissions released from poultry houses are significantly methane, Ammonia (NH3) and Sulphur Dioxide (SO2).  Li et al. (2018) posited that the administered antibiotic to the livestock is within the range of 30% – 90% and are defecated non-metabolic through fertilizer in the environment. Xie et al. (2018) also confirmed that these antibiotics pollutes the environment through human activities and increases the economic advantage of antibiotic resilient bacteria pollution of antibiotics in the environment by progressively reforming the resilient in the environment.

The research of (Alabi et al., 2014) found out that chicken droppings generally contaminate poultry houses with their litters and poses environmental hazards during the period of dumping the litter. The inappropriate chicken waste disposal leads to environmental threats such as unpleasant odour from the poultry houses, soil pollution,

breeding of flies and water pollution. Locally and globally the atmospheric pollution is as a result of livestock methods which are seen as the major source of trace gases in the environment (Appuhamy et al., 2016). Global total emissions of livestock production and their by-products were recorded for 18% (IPCC, 2014). Other studies focused on the amount and rate of chicken waste generation and nutrient contents of poultry waste production which are affected by some elements (Adedayo, 2012; Adeoye et al., 2014).

The above-mentioned studies, emphasis is primarily on waste generation, environmental pollution from poultry production on human health. There is little research on issues related to the assessment of major pollutants released from poultry farms and the impacts on surface water, soil, and air quality on residents of the host farms. This is a major gap that this study seeks to address.

1.3        Research Questions

i.      What form of the poultry production farms exist in Kuje Suburbia?

ii.      What are the major pollutants released associated with poultry farms that have effect on surface water, soil, and air quality?

iii.     What are the resident’s perception of the poultry farms in Kuje Suburbia?

iv.      Is there any level of complaints on environmental pollution caused by poultry farms?

1.4       Aim and Objectives of the Study

The aim of the study is to assess the impact of poultry farm pollutants on Kuje Urban environment with a view to proffering  planning and management solution towards sustainable and heathy environment in Kuje Suburbia, Through the following objectives.

1.4.2    The Objectives of the study work is:

i.      Identify poultry farms and production capacity in Kuje Suburbia.

ii.      Assess the impacts of the poultry farms activities on water, soil and air quality in Kuje Suburbia.

iii.      Examine the resident perception of the environmental impacts of poultry farms in Kuje Suburbia.

iv.      Examine the nature and level of complaints on environmental pollution caused by poultry farms.

1.5       Significance of the Study

Environmental pollution and health effects of poultry farms have been reviewed by different studies, but little research has been attempted to systematically explain the major poultry farms pollution emitted, their environmental effects, and the likely human health hazards from exposures to them. Also, farms smells are exhibited around the built-up area in Kuje Suburbia. This prompts the idea of this studies in order to fill in the gap. More so, a comprehensive review of environmental and health effects of poultry farming will illustrates the importance of this study. Similarly, major impacts of poultry farms will be identified on the residents and human health. This study, therefore, will prove indispensable to urban policy makers, planners, health, and environmental organizations on environmental impacts of poultry farms. Finally, it will establish a lasting environmental sustainability through the assistance of Government and other interested parties in the society in Kuje Suburbia.

1.6       Scope of the Study

The scope of the research work covers the assessment of poultry farms and production capacity, the impacts of the poultry farms activities on water, soil and air quality, the resident perception of the environmental impacts of poultry farms and the nature and level of complaints on environmental pollution caused by poultry farms in Kuje Suburbia (Chukuku, Kiyi and Chibiri).

1.7        Study Area

1.7.1     Location of the study area

The land area of Kuje Area Council covers about 1,800 square kilometres with percentage of 22.5% of the FCT. The population is recorded to be over 270,000 people which comprises of the Gbagyi. Gade, Bassa, Fulani and other languages that moved from different parts of Nigeria and the worldwide (Ojigi et al., 2012). The Kuje Area Council is bounded on the North and East of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) West of Gwagwalada Area Council and the South of Abaji Area Council. The average rainfall of the Area Council is 1200 millimetres and rain from the month of April to the month of October, whereas the dry period begins in the late October to March.

1.7.2     Climate and temperature

The temperature of Kuje Area Council ranges between 21̊ C to 26.7̊ annually and with a total annual rainfall of about 1.650milimetere (mm). The month of July, August and September are accounted for 60% for the annual rainfall. Heavy breeze, lightning and heavy rainfall are regarded as a frequent occurrence. (Ojigi et al., 2012).

1.7.3    Topography and relief

The Kuje Area council is predominantly underlain by some geographical features such as Precambrian magmatities, gneiss, granites, and schists of the crystalline basement complex. The area is good for groundwork construction excepts for the western boundary of the region which has extrusive schist belt outcrops. Quaternary alluvial deposits are found in the Usman River network providing a nearby origin that is fit for construction purposes (Ojigi et al., 2012).

1.7.4    Vegetation and soil

Soil in this Area Council is of a high degree of comprises of different soil such as sandy soil, loamy soil, silt, clay soil, gravel. Hence, the area is prone to erosion when observed along the footpaths and road. Nonetheless, vegetative cover in the area has significantly reduced the phenomena.

1.7.5    Socio-economic activities

The major commercial activities in the rural parts of Kuje Area Council is agriculture (farming) and the types of crops grown are mainly yam, maize, rice, cassava, guinea corn and millet. The large area abundance of grazing land in the area council has enable livestock production. The Area Council is accessible by land and telecommunications.

Also, it accessible from the capital city within thirty (30) minutes and from the Airport within twenty (20) minutes (Ojigi et al., 2012). It is also known that Kuje Area Council has the establishments of    significant banks, institution and headquarters and ministries all located within the boundaries of the Area Council. Equally, investors are investing on livestock production since the Area Council is blessed with a vast grazing land. The Area council is also known to have the most fertile land in Nigeria because of the large area and industrial farming it flourishes well.   The Area Council is blessed with a large arable land and rich soil. It also falls within the highest crop producing belt. The Area Council gives room for exchange of goods and services due to the proposed railway terminals in Abuja (Ojigi et al., 2012).

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