A Review of Agrogeophysics and its Potential in Fostering Sustainable Agriculture in Nigeria

Abstract

Nigeria's economy is primarily based on agriculture, which engages more than half of its population and accounts for about one quarter of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Yet the industry is confronted with a host of problems including soil depletion, erratic rains, poor land use, and low productivity prompted by climate change and traditional (often unviable) farming techniques. Classical techniques to characterise soils tends to be invasive and take time and does not provide the necessary spatial resolution, which has hindered the adoption of precision agriculture. This paper is a review that focuses on agrogeophysics – the use of geophysical methods to solve agricultural and soil problems. It explains the fundamentals and applications of prominent geophysical methods used in environmental geophysics such as Electrical Resistivity (ER), Magnetic, Electromagnetic (EM) induction, and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR). Currently, the adoption of agrogeophysical techniques in Nigeria is nascent, largely confined to academic research institutions with limited practical application in commercial farming. We explore the immense, yet largely untapped, potential of agrogeophysics to revolutionize sustainable agriculture in Nigeria. Agrogeophysics offers non-invasive, high-resolution insights into soil characteristics, root zone dynamics, and subsurface hydrology. It can help in making data-based decisions, improve resource utilization, increase crop yields, and promote resilience against environmental problems, contributing immensely to Nigeria’s goals of food security and economic diversification. Hurdles to its wide use in Nigeria, include cost and the need for skilled personnel all discussed with recommendations for future adaption.

Keywords: Sustainable Agriculture, Non-invasive Techniques, Precision Agriculture, Agrogeophysics, Soil Characterization, Food Security.