Conservation and Distribution of Natural Resources

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Conservation and preservation of natural resources

Conservation means keeping, guarding, or protecting something in its natural state. It can also be referred to as preservation.

Natural resources conservation or preservation simply means trying to keep natural resources in their natural state. It is the prevention of our natural resources from being damaged, lost or wasted. This include trying not to deplete (finish) natural resources because they cannot be replaced. Example of natural resources which can be depleted is crude oil.

Why we need to conserve natural resources

1. Some of these resources are limited in quantity.
2. Future generations will need them.
3. To prevent waste and help our economy to be well developed.
4. The cost of processing them is generally high.
5. We need to support other communities with these resources.

How to conserve natural resources

1. Avoid wastage in the use of all the natural resources.
2. Avoid bush burning which destroy forests and farmlands.
3. Add manure and fertilizers to enrich the soil
4. Not throwing waste materials into rivers, lagoons and running water.
5. We should stop killing wild animals for sport and trade.
6. Support reproduction of wild animals using scientific method.

Distribution of natural resources

Everyone needs one thing or the other, but we cannot make everything we need.

Reasons why goods are distributed

1. No country has all the natural resources it need
2. We cannot make everything we need
3. To get them to every part of the country.
4. To get money.
5. To prevent scarcity.
6. To prevent waste.
7. For conservation and preservation.

Goods which are brought into our community/Nigeria

Some of the goods brought to our community include: refined petroleum products such as diesel, petrol and kerosene, cars, trucks, motor bikes, clothes, shoes, machines, television, DVD players, fridges, freezers, PSP games, air conditioners, fans, papers, bicycles, radios, among others. The process of bringing in goods into the country is known as import.

Goods which are taken from our community/Nigeria to other places/countries

Goods which are taken from our community/Nigeria to other places include crude oil, rubber, cocoa, palm oil, kolanut, cotton, hides and skin, among others. The process of taking goods out of our community is known as export.

How and by whom goods are distributed

Natural resources and finished goods are distributed by all sorts of people at different levels of the economy. Traders, businessmen, distributors, wholesalers, and retailers are some of the people who distribute natural resources and finished goods.

Within the communities, distribution takes place from the farms to the market and sometimes to the factories. When goods get to the market, they usually get directly to the traders (retailer) who is the person you buy from.

When resources and finished goods are distributed between farms and cities or factories, these goods are usually taken by a distributor. A distributor’s job is to take things from one place to another. He then supplies wholesalers, who resells these goods to retailers. Goods are also moved from cities to villages through distributors and wholesalers.

Goods also move from the north of Nigeria to the southern part of Nigeria. Goods such as cattle, onions, tomatoes, carrots, cabbage, are moved from the Northern Nigeria to the Southern Nigeria. In return, goods such as plantain, clothes and other manufactured goods are moved from the south to the northern part of Nigeria.

Challenges/problems of distributing natural resources

1. Smuggling
2. Distributors who transport natural resources and finished goods by road are often made to pay bribe by police and custom officer. This in turn make the goods expensive for the consumers.
3. Natural resources transported through pipelines are prone to vandalization. This in turn leads to spillage and wastage.
4. Monopoly
5. International laws and trade barriers

 

 

 

 

 

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