Assessment Of Urban Encroachment On Agricultural Lands

Assessment Of Urban Encroachment On Agricultural Lands

Chapiter 1

Introduction

1.1 The Study’s Context

In the past 20 years, there has been a significant transition in the world’s population from being primarily rural to being primarily urban (De Sherbinin, 2007). According to estimates, there are currently 7.01 billion people on the planet. By 2030, more than 60% of this population—particularly those living in developing nations—will be urban dwellers, using nearly three-quarters of the planet’s natural resources and producing nearly all of its pollution and waste (Redman and Jones, 2005; Peters, 2000). As a result of this increase, political and social institutions will face significant difficulties and be forced to make extraordinary investments in new infrastructure. Rapid urban center growth continues to present significant challenges, piqueing the interest of ecologists, planners, civil engineers, sociologists, administrators, and policymakers who are concerned about the rate of growth, the effects on agricultural land, and potential solutions. According to Olawole, Msimanga, Adegboyega, and Adeshina (2011), it acts as a potent agent of land use/land cover change, resulting in the loss of agricultural land, and it equally contributes to development, which is both a prerequisite for and a byproduct of economic, cultural, and social development as well as one of the main drivers of economic growth and poverty reduction (World Bank, 2009).Wider coverage, extended time series data capture that makes monitoring easier, and comparatively low cost per square kilometer as compared to other data acquisition methods are only a few of the benefits of remote sensing (Hastings, 2002). The most accurate way to gather comprehensive data on land cover/use is by direct observation and/or interviews with users in the field. However, this method is expensive, particularly if the area of interest is vast (Hastings, 2002). This project will employ Landsat Remote Sensing photos to track the effects of urban growth on agricultural land in the Offa Local Government Area.

1.1 Problem Description

More food must be produced as a result of the country’s growing population in order to feed everyone. Sadly, land is not expanding, so we must make sustainable use of the land that is already there.

Urban communities are encroaching more and more quickly on agricultural land in Offa Local Government Area. This is because areas of land that were formerly used for coffee plantations and other commodities are now characterized by residential estates, endangering agricultural productivity because of their proximity to the Ilorin. While coffee, which formerly used to be the main economic crop, is being uprooted, multi-billion dollar real estate projects are being constructed.

To take advantage of the rising land prices, those possessing medium-sized plots of land are turning them from agricultural to residential or commercial usage and dividing them into small chunks. The majority of middle-class Nigerians want to purchase this land and construct homes outside of the crowded, filthy city. Due to this, agricultural land has been divided into small pieces that are unprofitable for farming.

Analyzing the urban sprawl in the Offa Local Government Area is necessary in order to create plans for implementing mitigating measures.

1.2 Purposes broader purpose

1. To examine how urban sprawl in Offa Local Government Area affects agricultural land.

Particular Goals

1. To define Land cover and use in Offa Local Government Area using satellite remote sensing technology.

2. To map the sub county’s urban growth.

3. To assess the sub-county’s urban development’s size, pace, and direction.

1.3 Reasons Why the Study Is Important

The policymakers will find this initiative helpful in their decision-making, particularly with regard to zoning, land use planning, and the protection of agricultural land. Additionally, it will educate the general public about investing and potential property market movements in the future.

1.4 Work’s Scope

The study intends to analyze the consequences of urban sprawl on agricultural land in the Offa Local Government Area using Landsat satellite imagery. Data will be collected, processed, analyzed, and presented using GPS, Landsat pictures, and geographic information systems (GIS). The trends of urban development will be examined using Landsat pictures from 1988, 2000, and 2016. The sub-county’s majority of developments started in the 1990s, so it is important to compare the area before and after these changes.

The project’s scope will be restricted to changes in the broad geographic extent of metropolitan areas and agricultural land. This is particularly true because it might not be able to distinguish between tiny land use activities using Landsat imagery with a 30 m resolution.