Environmental and Economic Effects of Abakaliki Rice Mill Company Ltd on Amagu Community-Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Abstract

Although Rice is the most economically important food crop in the world, its milling is always characterised with environmetal and socio-economic problems.Convinced that Abakaliki Rice Mill was contributing to environmental degradation in Abakaliki Capital City, Ebonyi State Government in 2009, ordered for its relocation.This study, therefore, examined the environmental and the economic effects of Abakaliki Rice Mill Company Ltd on Amagu community using survey and experimental methods. The research employed survey instrument, field measurements and laboratory analysis. A total of 396 questionnaire were administered to residents in Amagu Community. The questionnaire had 2 sub-sections on: the environmental effects, and the economic effects. Hand-held GASMAN Air Pollutants Monitors were used to measure air samples while soil and water samples were subjected to laboratory analysis. The data on the environmental and the economic effects were analysed using Wilcoxon Ranks Signed Tests, while the data on soil properties were analyzed using Mann Whitney tests. Kruskal Wallis Test was used for data on water and air. The results revealed that, whereas the rice mill has no significant negative environmental effect on Amagu Community (p values< 0.05), it rather, has significant positive economic effect (p value>0.05). Hence, the study recommended: entrenchment of waste to wealth ideology, cleaner production practices, treatment of waste water before disposal, tree planting, heat energy conversion to electromechanical energy, advanced integrated agro-technology industry and banning of parboiling of paddy in the residential areas, among others.

Keywords: Rice, Rice Milling, Abakaliki Rice, Amagu-Commuinty, Ebonyi State