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The Resources of the Niger Delta: Agriculture 13 THE RESOURCES OF THE NIGER DELTA: SOIL AND AGRICULTURE
 * Introduction
 * Agriculture in the LEM Ecozone
 * Agriculture in the Fresh-Water Ecozone
 * Agriculture in the Brackish-Water Ecozone
 * Agriculture and the Barrier Island Ecozone
 * A Summary of the Agricultural Resources in the Niger Delta

13.1 INTRODUCTION

13.1.1 SOIL IS THE RESOURCE

Agriculture, unlike say forests or water, is not a resource, but arises from the use of other resources, primarily soil. Agriculture is best understood in terms of soil, because as we explained in chapter two, soil is a unique expression of geology, topography, climate and hydrology. Moreover, as explained in chapter three, soil is also related to the vegetation that grows on it and for which it provides the medium of growth.

Thus soil is a valid way of defining ecozones and, in any given place, just as the soil indicates what the climax vegetation would be under natural conditions, so it also indicates agricultural potential. In pre-industrial times soil was an important influence (amongst others) on settlement patterns (because people settled where the land was good for agriculture) and on agricultural practice which was (and still is, to a great extent) determined by the specific soil conditions. In this respect it could be said that soil, by determining agriculture, has been an important factor in the evolution of human society and culture.

13.1.2 THE SOILS OF THE NIGER DELTA

The soils of the Niger Delta are described in detail in Chapter 4. Section 5, however, for convenience, a summary is given here:-

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