Effects of Quarry Activities on Arable Crop Production in Odeda Local Government Area, Ogun State, Nigeria

One of the challenges confronting sustainable agricultural production in Nigeria is increased activities of quarry operatives negatively impacting on agricultural land across the Nation. However, there are limited studies on its effect of quarry operations on arable crop farming especially in southwest region of Nigeria. This study researched the consequences of the effects of quarry activities on the profitability of arable crop production in Odeda Local Government Area, Ogun state. Three stage sampling procedure was used to choose 120 arable crop farmers from selected communities in the study area. Descriptive and inferential statistics (multiple linear regression) was employed to analyze the data from a structured questionnaire administered in the field. The results revealed that most (70.83%) of the arable crop farmers were affected by quarrying activities in the study area. The multiple regression results revealed that years of formal education of farmers was positive and significant at 1% level to arable crop output. Also, farm size (ha) was positive and significant at 5% to arable crop output while soil degradation was negative and significant at 1% to arable crop output in the study area. It is recommended that appropriate policy should be initiated to control quarry activities while the miners should develop new technologies to reduce noise, dust particles and other effects of blasting which negatively affect crop production and farmers health.