Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 12.2 Urban land use in Zaria (percentage)
Peri-urban agriculture (UPA): The periphery of the city is more intensively
and extensively farmed than core urban areas. Here, farms are larger and
more economically sustainable than the small farms located within the
urban areas. However, UPA is not controlled or regulated by the
authorities. The choice both of crop and production process is determined
by the farmer and market forces. Cereals, legumes and livestock, however,
still tend to dominate the farming systems in this area.
.
To arrive at estimates of the extent of UA, the land-use map of Zaria was
used along with GIS techniques during the research. The researcher merged
the proposed land-use map with a satellite image of Zaria Township and
digitized those areas devoted to UA and other uses. Figure 12.2 shows existing
land uses in the township of Zaria. An estimated 58 per cent of the total land
proposed for 'other uses' is presently being used for agriculture (Table 12.2).
Physical planning problems - constraints - and the slow rate of economic
growth may have increased the amount of land devoted to agriculture instead
of the planned use.
With respect to how farmers have acquired land, Table 12.3 shows that
28 per cent of urban farmers in Zaria inherited their farmland or received it as
a gift, 44 per cent rented from a landlord, and 21 per cent leased the land from
public or semi-public institutions. An additional 7 per cent of respondents had
converted a building plot to a farm. The process of informal land acquisition
does not provide a platform or any formal legal security for urban farmers.
Search WWH ::




Custom Search