Economic Implications of Dust Assaults on Humans and Animals exposed to Environmental Hazards due to Air Pollution in the Dry Belt Zone of Nigeria
Keywords:
Dust assults, dry belt zone, economy, NigeriaAbstract
Daily, humans and animals are exposed to environmental hazards due to air pollution whether indoor or outdoor. The extent, nature or characteristics of such hazards varies from one locality to another. Dust constitutes one of the important air pollutants in the dry belt zone of Nigeria (Sahel Savanna). The zone is generally characterized by scanty rainfall and vegetation cover, summering heat, incessant dust storms and harmattan, droughts and desertification, desiccating wind pattern and sandy soil textures that are prone to droughts and alarming desertification and soil degradation and deterioration brought by both natural and human forces. The open and flat topography of the region allows an uninterrupted incursion of dust particles into the region and this persist for greater part each year. There is heavy dependence on agriculture related activities leading to land degradation and desertification as a result of deforestation and denudation which further exacerbate the environmental problems. Dust storms and harmattan dust are so prevalent in this region and recently are assuming harming rate and proportion, destroying lives and property. This work is hence a review of the economic implication of dust assaults on humans and animals exposed to environmental hazards due to air pollution in the dry belt zone of Nigeria. The study highlights that the sand dunes created by such phenomena bury crops, lands, houses, water, schools, roads and animals, rendering this region almost completely unsuitable for human and animal habitation as well as agricultural activities.
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