Urban Agriculture and Physical Planning: A Case Study of Zaria Urban Area
Abstract
A significant proportion of the urban space in Zaria, Nigeria, is used for agricultural practices. Most farmers engage in more than one farming activity, usually cultivating cereal crops and legumes and engaging in horticulture; some also raise livestock. However, the Land Use Act of 1978 and Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Decree (No. 88) of 1992 placed legal constraints on urban agriculture, despite the practice being recognized as a source of food, jobs, and income. This study evaluated the hypothesis that the land devoted to urban agriculture in Zaria is related to the allocation of urban land use, the ratio of land development express as the area of actual development over plot size and the rate at which urban land has been developed. The pattern and implications of agriculture in Zaria were also examined. Satellite images were interpreted to determine land uses, which were then confirmed by cross-referenced with a global positioning system. Results indicated that most of the land in Zaria’ s proposed master plan (ABU 2000) is devoted to agriculture regardless of the original intent. Questionnaires were used to collect information from individuals who had access to land and were also involved in farming in Zaria, and interviews were conducted with heads of planning agencies, politicians, urban managers, farmers, and the general public. Recommendations were made that would reduce the negative implications of urban agriculture so that it would be recognized and included in land-use planning.