LAND FRAGMENTATION AND IT DETERMINANTS IN NIGERIA: A CASE STUDY OF SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN IKENNE AGRICULTURAL ZONE, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

• Main Authors: Abiodun Elijah Obayelu, Omotoso Oluseye Ogunmola, Kola Jeremiah Oyewole
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: University of Life Sciences in Poznań 2019-07-01
• Series: Journal of Agribusiness and Rural Development
• Subjects: scattered plots; land plot; land parcel; land consolidation
• Online Access: http://www1.up.poznan.pl/jard/index.php/jard/article/view/1135

Land fragmentation is a major obstacle to agricultural development in Nigeria. The objective of this study is to examine land fragmentation and its determinants by smallholder farmers. In Nigeria through the use of Ikenne Agricultural zone of Ogun State. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 120 smallholder farmers in the study area. Descriptive statistics, Simpson index and Stepwise Multiple Linear Regression were used. The results of the Simpson’s Index showed that the average land fragmentation index was 0.38 which implies that smallholder farm lands are highly fragmented. Household average annual income (p<0.01), per capita arable land (p<0.01), size of land rented in and out by household (p<0.01), labour force of household (p<0.05), total available land area (p<0.05) and farming experience (P<0.01) were the significant factors affecting average plot size owned by farmers. Also, household average annual income (p<0.01), per capita arable land (p<0.05), size of land rented in and out by household (p<0.01), labour force of household (p<0.05) were the ones contributing to the number of plots cultivated by the farmers. Land consolidation, application of specific land protection policies to prevent agricultural land from being developed for non-agricultural purposes are recommended.