Impact of Municipal Solid Waste Compost on Soil Quality in Peri-Urban Farmlands of Katsina State, Nigeria

The increase in population led to a high demand for food, which, in turn, caused a decline in soil nutrients, particularly under unsustainable fertility management practices. Following increases in the cost of chemical fertilizer and the availability and accessibility of municipal solid waste compost (MSWC), farmers on Katsina peri-urban farmland resorted to MSWC as a fertility-improvement material. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the impacts of municipal solid waste compost on soil quality using the soil quality index (SQI). The study assessed levels of soil fertility parameters and evaluated the area's soil quality. Twenty (20) soil samples were collected from MSWC-amended and control locations at 0-15 cm depth. Samples were tested in the laboratory for soil quality parameters using standard procedures. The results were statistically analyzed using a t-test (p=0.05) and the soil quality index (SQI) model. The results show that the mean values of pH (7.61; 5.89) and Db (1.29; 1.45) were higher at the MSWC farm than at the control location. Significant differences were observed among all soil fertility parameters at 0.05, except OM and avl. P, Mg, and clay. The mean SQI values for MSWC-amended and control soils were 0.47 ± 0.15 and 0.42 ± 0.25, respectively, indicating that MSWC application improved soil quality by approximately 10.64%. The amended soils were classified as having “high” soil quality, while the control soils remained within the “moderate” category. The study demonstrates that MSWC application significantly enhances soil fertility and overall soil quality, thereby supporting sustainable agricultural productivity and environmentally sound waste management practices in peri-urban agroecosystems.