Page:Niger Delta Ecosystems- the ERA Handbook, 1998.djvu/147

The Resources of the Niger Delta: Agriculture The predominance of fishing and the very poor, high water-table sandy soils of the barrier islands mean that agriculture is not currently important. However if the marine fishing resources continue to decline then the situation could change.

Large scale arable farming does not seem to be at all practicable, and if the barrier island communities have to depend on the land for a living the answer to survival is twofold:
 * agriculture on the sand ridges as agroforestry techniques based on cultured forests; and
 * agriculture on the swampy troughs as agroforestry techniques based on a combination of cultured forests, loo-type agriculture, paddy-rice (already a little at the East side of Akassa) and fish farming.

But with proper regional planning this should not be necessary and the barrier island people will continue to be fishermen, and women processors.

13.6 A SUMMARY OF AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES IN THE NIGER DELTA.

Three points need to be stressed. 145
 * Each ecozone has different agricultural potentials and problems.
 * Inevitably the Niger Delta will be, and with proper planning it has the ability to be, a major producer of food, especially fish, rice and palm oil. This is, again with sensitive and proper planning, entirely compatible with the oil extraction industry, ecological sustainability, and social justice and harmony.
 * Proper economic CBA, including social and environmental CBA, is essential to ensure that the conflicts between the various agricultural and fishing needs are resolved, in order to optimise sustainable food production and income equity.