MATHEMATICAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOIL MOISTURE AND GROUNDWATER LEVEL IN A LOAMY SAND SOIL IN THE NIGER DELTA REGION OF NIGERIA

Agriculture, which used to be the mainstay of the economy of the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, was abandoned because of the discovery of oil in the 1950s. Oil exploration has, however, left a trail of sorrow as a result of environmental pollution. There is now a new awakening in the realization that oil is not a renewable resource an d, hence, effort needs to be diverted to revitalize the agricultural sector. Farmers in this region rely entirely on rain-fed cropping. Since this area is characterized by distinct dry and wet seasons, crop ping activities are scewed towards the wet season, thus resulting in subsistence level of production.