An analysis of affordability of land for urban crop farming in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

The study highlighted the following major points (1) Recognition of urban crop farming to enhance its continued contribution to sustainable land management. (2) The question whether affordability constraint in land accessibility can affect the productivity of urban crop farmers. Respondents of seven communities were selected through simple random sampling and administered with structured questionnaires. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics while regression analysis was used to investigate the research hypothesis. The study showed that most of the lands used by urban crop farmers were owned by public authorities (65.8%), private organizations (23.9%) and individuals (7.2%). They largely gained access to land through squatting or land grabbing (60.1%) and renting (28.7%) due to high rents or prices. The regression analysis established that affordability constraint (an independent variable) accounted for 10% of farmers’ productivity which could be improved by tackling problems associated with affordability. It also provided a blueprint for policy makers that would lead to equitable land distribution in the Lagos metropolis.

Keywords: Land distribution, urban crop farming, sustainable productivity, Lagos, Nigeria