ASSESSMENT OF URBAN ENCROACHMENT ON AGRICULTURAL LANDS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

The world is rapidly urbanizing, and it has witnessed a tremendous shift of its population from being predominantly rural to predominantly urban in the last two decades (De Sherbinin, 2007). The world’s population is estimated to be 7.01 billion and by the year 2030, more than 60% of this population will be living in urban areas especially in developing countries, consuming close to three-quarters of the world‟s natural resources, and generating three quarters of its pollution and wastes (Peters, 2000; Redman and Jones, 2005). This growth will require unprecedented investment in new infrastructure and create serious challenges for political and social institutions. Rapid expansion of urban centers in the world at large and specifically in developing countries has continued to pose great challenges such that evokes interests from ecologists, planners, civil engineers, sociologists, administrators and policy makers on how much expansion is taking place, the effects on agricultural land and possible solution. It serves as a strong agent of land use/land cover change, hence loss of agricultural land (Olawole, Msimanga, Adegboyega, and Adeshina, 2011), and equally contributes to development; a requirement for and a result of economic, cultural and social development, as well as engines of economic growth and poverty alleviation (World Bank, 2009).Remote Sensing offers multiple advantages of wider coverage, long time series of data acquisition which facilitates monitoring and relatively low cost per square kilometre compared to other means of acquiring data (Hastings, 2002). Direct observation and/or interviews with the users in the field represent the most accurate means of collecting detailed information on land cover/use. However, this approach is costly especially when the region of interest is large (Hastings, 2002). Landsat Remote sensing images will be used in this project to monitor how urban developments have been affecting agricultural land in Offa Local Government Area.

1.1  Problem Statement

As the country’s population increases it calls for more food production in order to feed the increasing number of people. Unfortunately land is not increasing so we need to utilize the available land in a sustainable manner.

In Offa Local Government Area, encroachment of urban settlements on agricultural land is increasing at an alarming rate. This is due to its proximity to the Ilorin, tracts of land that were previously under coffee plantations and other crops are now characterised by residential estates posing a threat to agricultural production. Multi billions real estate projects are being built while uprooting coffee which once used to be the biggest economic crop.

Those with medium pieces of land are converting from agricultural to residential or commercial use and subdividing them into small portions taking advantage of the increased land prices. Majority of middle class Nigerian prefer to buy this land and build homes away from the noisy and polluted city into the outskirts. This has resulted to subdivision of Agricultural land into small size plots that are uneconomical for farming.

There is need to analyse the Urban Sprawl in Offa Local Government Area and develop strategies on how mitigation measures can be carried out.

1.2  Objectives General Objective

1.      To analyse the effects of urban sprawl on agricultural land in Offa Local Government Area.

Specific Objectives

1.      To use Satellite Remote Sensing Technology to delineate Land cover/ use in Offa Local Government Area.

2.      To map urban development in the sub county.

3.      To determine size, rate and direction of the urban development in the sub-county.

1.3  Justification for the Study

This project will be useful to the policy makers in making decisions especially concerning, zoning in land use planning and protecting of agricultural land. It will also generate knowledge to the general public in terms of investing and future trends in property markets.

1.4  Scope of Work

The project aims at using Landsat satellite imagery to analyse effects of urban sprawl on Agricultural land in Offa Local Government Area. Landsat images, Geographic information system (GIS) and Global positioning System (GPS) will be used to acquire, process analyse and present data. Landsat images of three epochs taken in 1988, 2000 and 2016 will be used to analyse the trends of urban development. Most of the developments in the sub-county occurred from 1990s, hence there is need to study the area before and after the developments.

The project will be limited to the change in spatial extent of urban areas and agricultural land in general. This is especially because with 30m resolution Landsat imagery it may not be possible discriminate small land use activities.