RUSLE-BASED GEOSPATIAL ASSESSMENT OF SOIL EROSION FOR CONSERVATION PLANNING AT THE NATIONAL ROOT CROPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE (NRCRI), UMUDIKE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Soil erosion poses a significant threat to agricultural sustainability in the humid tropical zone. This study 
employs the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) integrated with Geographic Information Systems 
(GIS) and remote sensing to quantitatively assess soil erosion rates and identify critical risk areas within the 
National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike. Key factors, rainfall erosivity (R), soil erodibility 
(K), topography (LS), cover-management (C), and support practices (P), were derived from field data, 
laboratory analysis, satellite imagery (Sentinel-2), and a 30m SRTM DEM, respectively. Results revealed 
substantial spatial variation in annual soil loss, with rates increasing significantly on steep slopes under 
intensive root-crop cultivation and minimal cover. Sensitivity analysis identified the topographic (LS) and 
cover-management (C) factors as the dominant drivers, collectively explaining 70-80% of the variation in 
erosion. The study maps out high-priority erosion hotspots and provides a foundational, spatially explicit 
evidence base for targeted conservation planning. Recommendations from the study include prioritizing 
terracing and contour farming on steep slopes, enhancing vegetative cover through improved crop 
management practices, and establishing a monitoring framework using the developed RUSLE-GIS model.