Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Goodall (1978) states that the land-use pattern of an urban area represents
the cumulative effect of myriad decisions and actions by various individuals
and organizations. In Zaria, much of the urban space is used for agricultural
practices. Urban agriculture has been of concern to physical planners,
especially in developing countries, where the use of land for farming is
common. Studies of the Nigerian cities of Lagos (Ezedinma and Chukuezi,
1999), of Ibadan (Tricaud, 1987) and Kano (Olofin and Tanko, 2003) have
identified planning laws as a major constraint to UA. Legal constraints stem
from various sources, including Nigeria's National Agenda 21, the National
Policy on the Environment, the Land Use Act of 1978 (FRN, 1978) and
Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Decree (No 88) of 1992 (FRN, 1992).
The power to control development, as defined by these acts, has not been
substantially debated or revised vis a` vis UA largely because UA is a relatively
new topic. Where reference is made, UA is banned outright. For example, the
cultivation of annual and perennial crops, as well as the raising of livestock in
urban areas, is not permitted under Nigerian law (Section 43, Land Use Act of
1978; FRN, 1978) except to preserve existing trees or plant new trees by the
imposition of necessary conditions (Section 72, Decree No 88, of 1992; FRN,
1992).
These laws have generally made land rights and tenure di cult to secure,
especially for the poor. Thus, urban laws and regulations require reform in
order to improve access to UA (Tricaud, 1987; Ezedinma and Chukuezi, 1999;
Olofin and Tanko, 2003). These concerns have been brought forward more
often by agricultural policy makers and geographers than by town planners.
Little is known, however, about how to effectively implement such reforms
and how they will affect physical planning and city development. Therefore,
the spatial implications of UA need to be studied in Zaria. The constraints
imposed by existing legislation also need to be examined as a basis for
improving knowledge about the practice of UA and its potential for enhancing
sustainable development. This is the context that forms the basis of this
study.
B ACKGROUND ,O BJECTIVES AND H YPOTHESIS
Part 1B of the Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Decree (No 88) of 1992
outlines the administrative responsibilities of federal, state and local
governments. According to the decree, the federal government formulates
national policies for urban and regional planning, and prepares and implements
national, physical, regional and subject plans. The national government also
coordinates state and local governments in the implementation of their
physical development plans, as well as providing technical assistance to the
states. On the other hand, states are responsible for the development of urban
and regional plans within their boundaries as well as for producing the state's
development plans. States also control development of the land within their
jurisdiction and conduct research in urban and regional planning. In contrast,
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