Archeologists believe that the city of Jos, self proclaimed 'capital' city of the north of Nigeria, dates back to the Stone Age.  Evidence of this can be found in the hand axes and Nok sculptures discovered in the area.  However, the really significant increase in the Jos  population started in the early 19th century, when different groups fled to the hills to escape the blades of the Fulani warriors during the Holy Jihad. These small independent groups constitute the many different tribes found in the Jos plateau region - including the Angars, Birom, Jawara, Ron and a host of others. Today, these are a very peaceful and tolerant people.  In fact, Jos is regarded as the most cosmopolitan of all Nigerian cities.  The pear shaped tableland known as the Jos plateau stretches for approximately 8,600 km2.  It is one of the most recognized geographical regions in Nigeria.  This region has unique physiographic features in terms of relief.  The plateau is composted of eroded gneiss formations with granite intrusions (older granites of the precabian era) and an average attitude of 4,200 feet above sea level, and is characterized by numerous volcanic cones (extinct) and crata lakes.  This region, with impressive ridges separated by extension plains, has striking geomophological features - its highest points are the Shere Mountains (5,843 ft) and Sara Peak (5,54lft).   The climate of the plateau is its most striking characteristic.  Although, Jos can be described as having a tropical rainy climate with an average humidity of about 60% and heavy rains between June and August, it also has a temperate feeling with an average temperature of 220c and temperatures as low as 80c to 100c recorded during the Harmattan season between December and February. As you travel through the Jos plateau, you will be enthralled by its aesthetic beauty - the thing that’s sure to catch your attention. The plains are carpeted by lush grassland vegetation, so much like those of mid-latitude temperate grasslands - the only difference being the fact that those of the Jos plateau are often dissected by erosion gullies, mine ponds and mine dumps, the aftermath of intense tin mining activities.  The original woodland vegetation of the Jos region has long being cleared for mining and agricultural activities, turning the region into an open Savannah grassland with widely spread Eucalyptus and Acacia trees,and cactus hedges which are used for land/boundary delineation.  Close-knit trees or dense foliage are mostly found in traditional or religious grounds and those areas that are not easily accessible, like the Kura Gorge.  The impact of Tin mining of the Jos plateau cannot be over emphasized.  The development of the Tin industry has generated both positive and negative impacts on Jos and its environs.  Although, the local indigenes have been extracting tin on riverbeds on the plateau for decades, it wasn’t until the influx of Europeans in 1904 that the plateau's large tin deposits began to be fully exploited.

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The landscape of the plateau has greatly suffered from tin mining - environmental impact assessments were a thing of the future at the dawn of mining and while the locals had, for decades, been extracting tin from shallow pits and in-situ mining, the Europeans arrived with advanced techniques and open-cast mining which has irreversibly scarred the landscape.

The problem here is thatmine dumps and ponds left behind my the open-cast process have altered the topography of the region, while the gullies are now major erosion sites which are gradually reducing the already little available land for agriculture.  In some cases, these mine dumps are as high as 30ft and the gullies have been dug deep into the water table allowing underground water to fill the pits forming ponds.These gullies, usually at the river basins where most of the tin deposits are found, disrupt the natural flow of streams and cause loss of soil and contamination of underground water. 

Despite some obvious benefits of mining to agriculture, the destruction of these farm lands and its attendant implications are a source of worry to the people of the plateau state.  This has led to the frantic efforts of environmental and nature lovers who are adopting several measures to reclaim these badlands.  The major method used is the “level and fill method” (Ogunleye it al, 2005)where the dug out debris is used to fill in the pits and gullies to the same level of the surrounding areas.  After filling they follow up by employing reforestation techniques using Eucalyptus trees.  Some pits are converted into fish ponds, and oher debris is used to create dams used for irrigation. 

Despite these limitations, it would be unfair not to talk about the benefits of the tin mining industry.  The most obvious was the influx of migrants into the region from different parts of Nigeria and abroad.  These people brought in their own different cultures which improved the social development of the people in the area.  These migrants constitute half of the general population of Jos making if a highly cosmopolitan town. These migrants also helped establish new settlements (mining settlements) which have now metamophosed  into towns.  Examples of such towns are Bukuru, Barikin Ladi and Jos.

Also, the tin mining industry provided the base for capital formation through which the people were able to diversify into a wide range of industrial and commercial enterprises, boosting the employment capability of the area.  Thus different kinds of unskilled and semi skilled jobs became available to the locals.  Infrastructural development on the Jos plateau is linked to the advent of tin mining as it led to the construction of railway lines, NESCO hyderelctive power company, roads, creation of dams.  Also food and beverages companies sprang up and each of these companies tries in their own little ways to provide housing, water, schools and health facilities in the region. 

Again, agriculture  has its own positive returns from the tin industry.  The influx of people necessitated the increase in food production.  Although many people left farming farming for the tin mines, coincidentally, it allowed for more cultivable  land for those who were still interested in farming. Thus with the  increased market base for their increased output there was high profit intake for some years.  This favourable situation soon diminished as it became evident that the tin industry and agriculture were both competing for the same land. 

It is important to note that the other industries in Jos are closely related to the tin industry.  This conclusion is drawn from the fact that, as at the time of the tin boom in this area, the other industries i.e power, steel, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals were all profitably managed.  Today however, with the tin industry almost non-existent, most of the companies have folded up while the others are operating at well under their proposed capacities. 

Another area of increasing importance is the tourism industry.  It can be said that tin mining opened Jos plateau to the eyes of the world. However, much is owed  to the fair weather condition of the Jos plateau, which allows for year round sightseeing.  The Jos plateau is simply a wonderful sight to behold.  It is the highest table land in Nigeria, with wonderful, unndulating grassland plains punctuated by uniquely shaped ridges, mesas and volcanic cones.  It also has such rare sights as, the Ampang Crata Lake, Wuse unique rock formations, the Kerang volcanic mountain, Kurra Gorge and waterfalls, Asop Waterfalls, a combination of both tropical and temperate fruits, birds and animals such as Derby Elands, zoological gardens and other awesome sights.  In short, the Jos plateau is a tourist's Haven. 

In the last 120 years, the Jos plateau has witnessed different phases.  From the pre-tin times through the time of tin boom to the post-tin boom era.  During the period before tin boom, the people of Jos plateau were predominantly farmers and craftsmen.  Local tin mining was done by informal and low tech miners who scratched around the river valleys and the Naraguta area and were self sufficient to an extent.  They were satisfied with their little mining, peasant farming and local economic base.  Their environment was in great shape and every one was happy. 

Then came the tin boom and its attendant peculiarities which were new to the people.  Tin came with enough capital to diversify the economy, the people became involved in different economic activities.  Initially, the few who were left in agriculture prospered until land became a problem. While tin mining was disrupting the balance of the ecosystem within their farm sites, people who had virgin lands, sold to the tin miners who had more  bargaining power.  Many farmers had no option but to join their folks in other economic activities which tended to be more profitable.  The people became used to a new system of life. 

Toward the end of the tin boom era, it became clear that something had to be done about the agricultural sector.  Thus the goverment initiated some reforms, thereby bringing in mechanized agriculture particularly in the dairy and cattle industry. According to Ogunleye et al, "this dairy industry was to make up for the short fall in imported dairy products during the second world war."  The first dairy factory in Vom proved so successful that another was opened soon after in the Pankshin district; despite this, recovery from the tin boom times was a slow process.

Today however, the Jos plateau has witnessed an attitude shift.  The people are now attuned to the idea of land reclamation and commercial agriculture.  Most of all, the tourism industry is now harnessing the vast potential of the area.  A typical example is the Rayfield Resort which utilized one of the biggest mine ponds for its boating activities. 

Land reclamation is now almost a household word as everybody knows that for them to be able to achieve relative agricultural self-sufficiency, they must first try to reclaim the degraded land.  This land reclamation is however being done on a general basis.  It is advisable that land reclamation should be approached based on specific end goals i.e agricultural, recreational, industrial etc, and not follow a stereotypical procedure.

The agricultural sector in the Jos plateau now, is doing reasonably well.  The soil and climatic conditions favour the production of exotic crops like grapes, apples, wheat, barley, irish potatoes, spinach and other products of temperate origin.  In fact, according to Ogunleye et al, this region “produces about 200,000 tous of Irish potatoes annually”.  The union trading company (UTC) sometime ago embarked on large scale production of wheat and barley.  Those crops are grown throughout the year - rainfed during the wet season and irrigated during the Harmattan.  Irrigation water is derived from two sources - dams and ironically, mine ponds.  Well over 400 hectares of land have been under irrigation every Harmattan (dry season) in the last few years. 

The plains of the southern part of the Jos plateau serves as a major food production region in Nigeria; crops like maize, sorghum, rich and yam are produced in large quantities in Pankshin, Shendam and Langtan districts. This, coupled with the fact that the Jos plateau is a tsetse fly (a fly whose bite is fatal to almost all animals except man and cattle) free zone has encouraged the rapid development of the diary and cattle industry and the establishment of a veterinary research center in the Jos plateau. 

Another interesting development is the fishery industry which is gradually becoming a major economic factor in this region.  The Panyam Fish Farm and hundreds of mineponds are potential sources for fish production in commercial quantities.  The Jos plateau has become a major producer of food crops and dairy products.

In conclusion, I think it is pertinent to give credit to the tourism  industry and environmentalists in the area for their resilient attitude in converting the intense land degradation into economically viable agricultural and tourism and sport facilities. 

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