ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT OF URBAN GROWTH ON AGRICULTURAL LANDS IN ZARIA AND ITS ENVIRONS

Abstract

Agricultural activities are an important industry on earth. Human civilisation depends on agriculture because it provides food for man, feeds for animals, and raw materials for industries. The essence of increasing land for agricultural activities in Zaria is to produce more food to cater to the increasing population and ensure food security. Hence, urban growth is competing for arable space for agricultural activities. Therefore, this study assessed the impact of urban growth on agricultural lands in Zaria and its environs from 1970-2009 (40 years) and its implication on agricultural activities. Remote sensing and GIS techniques were used to determine the spatial expansion of built-up areas in Zaria from 1970-2009. Four satellite images of four epochs, LandSat Multi-Spectral Spectrometer (MSS) image of 1973, Landsat Thematic Mapper(TM) images of 1990, LandSat Enhance Thematic Mapper (ETM) images of 1999 and NigeriaSat-1 image of 2009 were obtained and used for the study. The results show a gradual increase in the land areas covered by built-up, scattered and wetland cultivations; there was a general decrease in the land areas covered by bare surfaces and shrubland; the built-up area 2 2 showed a gradual increase from 14.52km 1973 to about 37.13km in 2009 which represents approximately 39.11% increase.
Furthermore, while urbanisation is taking over previous agricultural lands, agricultural lands take over shrublands, wetlands, plantations, bare surfaces and forest lands. Urbanisation influenced the availability of arable lands that should have been cultivated for crop production. However, the study recommended the need to encourage urban agriculture; policymakers, urban planners and individual landowners should adopt a policy that will suit agricultural lands in Zaria toward profitable agricultural activities and food security.