Effect Of Oil Spillage On Crop Productivity And Poverty Status Of Farmers In River State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Crude oil exploration in Nigeria has been on the increase since 1956 when crude oil was discovered in commercial quantity in the country. The earnings from the petroleum industry in the country increase in 1960 and became high in the early 1970s during the oil boom. This replaced earnings from agriculture which was the main stay of the nation's economy. Since the early 1970s, the place of crude oil as a key revenue earner for Nigeria has remained unchanged. The oil sector generates over 90% of the nation's foreign exchange earnings Inoni et al., (2012). Consequently, less attention was accorded the Crop sector which is the source of livelihood of the nation's populace. Production, over the years, continued to decline. Besides the low performance of the Crop sector, the oil exploration activities which cause constant incidence of oil spills, especially in River State which further affected crop productivity, this includes the production of a major staple food crop, like Yam, Cassava, Plaintain, Cocoyam, etc.