Mango orchards in the Tassa community, Dawakin Kudu, Kano State, Nigeria, have declined following prolonged water scarcity, river degradation, and sand mining activities. Farmers report that trees that once provided stable yields and income have stopped producing fruit, with some orchards fully removed as water sources disappeared.
Tassa was previously known for mango production, which supported household incomes and local identity over generations. Farmers now report dry soils, sinking land, and tree loss linked to changes in river flow and soil stability. The community relies on a single river, which residents say has been polluted and disrupted by sand mining, reducing both irrigation and household water availability.
Abdulwahab Dantsoho, a tomato, pepper, and mango farmer, said that before mining activities intensified, his mango trees produced regularly. He explained that sales from mangoes previously generated between N600,000 and N1,500,000 per year, equivalent to approximately US$390 to US$980, based on current exchange rates.
"At this moment, that lifeline is lost. None of the trees had borne any fruit in the past three years. There is no water at all now. That river became dry, wells became sunken, leaves began to fall, and I had nothing to do but cut down the trees to make firewood," he said.
Dantsoho confirmed that eight mango trees that supported his household for around 20 years have been removed due to the lack of water and declining soil conditions.
Similar impacts were described by Kubra Ahmed, a 74-year-old farmer who depended on mango trees for family income. She said eleven mango trees were lost in 2023, with further trees removed in 2024 after fruit production stopped. According to Ahmed, the mango trees previously generated about N2 million per year, or roughly US$1,300.
"Well, my well is dry. The ground fell, and the water ran, and my trees fell in a row," she said.
Farmers and residents link the decline in orchard productivity to the combined effects of reduced rainfall, higher temperatures, and uncontrolled sand extraction. Sand mining has altered riverbanks, created sinkholes, and reduced the soil's ability to retain moisture. These changes have affected irrigation access and increased erosion risks on surrounding farmland.
Local farmers in Dawakin Kudu Local Government Area, including communities along the Tumburawa River, report loss of arable land and reduced access to irrigation infrastructure. Umar Bala, a farmer in the area, stated that he lost three acres, equivalent to approximately 1.21 hectares, to riverbank erosion associated with mining activities.
Reports from nearby areas, including Madobi, Gobirawa, and Rukku, describe similar erosion, flooding, and farmland losses during seasonal rains. Farmers state that weakened soils and altered water flows are reducing productivity and increasing risks to fruit and vegetable cultivation.
According to farmers in Tassa, water scarcity and land degradation are now limiting orchard recovery and affecting farm-based livelihoods, with long-term impacts on mango production in the area.
Source: The Whistler
