Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
12
Urban Agriculture and
Physical Planning: A Case Study
of Zaria, Nigeria
Chuo Adamu Nsangu
1
I
NTRODUCTION
Zaria, located in Kaduna State, is a medium-sized city with an estimated
population of 547,000 and a growth rate of 3.5 per cent per annum (Ministry of
Economic Development, 1996). Its development and growth is attributed to its
location in northern Nigeria and because historically Zaria has been a centre of
learning with specialized training and research facilities. Agriculture is by far
the most important activity of the working population. Approximately 40-75
per cent of Zaria's working population derive their principal means of
livelihood from agriculture (ABU, 2000). Pressure on land tends to decrease as
distance from the city centre increases - just as the percentage of people farming
increases. The agricultural activity in Zaria can be divided into two types: rain-
fed and irrigated farming.
The city is also part of an important watershed that divides the Sokoto
and Chad River basins. The numerous rivers and streams found in this area
include the Galma, Kubanni, Shika and Saye Rivers. The Galma River forms
the main focus of the drainage system and carries water throughout the year;
however, most of its tributaries dry up between January and June.
Zaria has a tropical climate with a mean total annual rainfall of
approximately 1100mm, and lies in the natural vegetation zone known as
Northern Guinea Savannah that is primarily woodland. Soils in Zaria mostly
belong to the class of leached, ferruginous tropical soils, whose material
consists of several feet of deposited silt and sand overlying sedimentary
decomposed rock. The soils of this group are heavy to work because they tend
to be waterlogged with heavy rains; also they tend to dry out and crack during
the dry season. In the 1930s, many regional
institutions developed forest
reserves and plantations for fuel supply.
