Social Impact Assessment of Cement Polution on Small Scale Farmers in Cement Producing Areas of Ogun State

Abstract

The impact of chemical effluent from cement factories on agricultural activities has resulted into the degradation of cultivable land resources. The objective of the study is to assess the social impact of cement production on small-scale farmers in Ewekoro andSagamu areas of Ogun State. One hundredand twenty questionnaires were used to collect data on cement pollution for the study in Ewekoro and Sagamu Local Government Areas of Ogun State. Hypotheses were tested using chi-square. Soil erosion (96.6), bush burning (93.3), soil excavation (52.5), water contamination (80.3) and air pollution (62.5) were reported as the major environmental problems encountered in the study areas. Eightythree point three (83.3%) percent and 58.3% of the respondents agreed that cement pollution has a greatly negative impact on their income and agricultural production respectively. Also, environmental problems have impact on the standard of living of the farmers in the study areas. Socio-economic characteristics such as Age (X~-3.02, p~0.69), gender (X2=2.79, p-0.24), education (X2-l.78, p-0.77), religion (X2-3.5I, p-0.32), type of farming (X2-l.37, 0.50), marital status (X2-4.56, p-0.21), family size (X2=2.97,p=0.39), income (X2=6.89, p=0.14), source oflabour (X2-4.43, p=0.48) are not significantly related to social impact in the two study areas. Neither age, sex nor income was found to determine the impact of cement pollution on the small scale farmers. It was however recommended that all hands should be on deck to ensure that the environment is made conducive for the populace, agricultural practices and future generation