LAND USE PATTERN AND SUSTAINABILITY IN FOOD CROP PRODUCTION IN BENUE STATE

1.1 Introduction

Land use is generally cultivation of subsistence food crops like sorghum, and maize with root crops like cassava and groundnuts. A number of areas are uncultivated and remain as communal grazing areas especially around hills and escapement slopes but the number and the extent of these patches are becoming smaller and smaller over time. The wetter western side is more intensively cultivated with more perennial crops like bananas and coffee in small scale farms. The patterns of land use in the lake basin are highly determined by rainfall amounts and soil characteristics. The eastern part of the lake basin is drier and characterized by short bushy vegetation with scattered trees. Forests are limited to hill tops, river catchments and some seasonal flood plains. One of the most important natural resources, upon which all human activity is based since time immemorial, is land.

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.

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1.2 Background of Study

Globally, 23% of all used lands are degraded, and each year, 24 billion tons of fertile soil is lost due to erosion. Nonetheless, with the projected growth of global cropland use, there is an increase in dry land in developing countries, and concomitantly arable land use in developed countries is likely to continue its decline (FAO 2011). Variable resulting impacts on soil quality which greatly influence agricultural production and the environmental health can be observed. As environmental quality depletes daily, climate change intensifies challenges for agricultural sector development (OECD 2015). Hence, even though these impacts may vary according to regions, the overall productivity of agricultural land is expected to decrease and impede on food security. Restoration of these degraded landscapes can greatly contribute to the amelioration of soil organic matter content, hence maintaining or enhancing crop performance.

Land-use planning could be a responsive action to prevent or solve land degradation before the implementation and during and after agricultural activities. When carried before any activity or investment in agricultural sector, land-use planning helps to identify suitable areas for specific activities. This evaluation process which predicts land performance according to specific types of use over time and space is called agricultural land suitability evaluation (Sonneveld et al. 2010; Elsheikh et al. 2013). It shows the potential and limitation of the land for crop production (Pan and Pan 2012); especially when continuous utilization of agriculture land and climate change constantly diminish land productivity and resources (Elsheikh et al. 2013; FAO 2007).

The land use pattern in agriculture is a dynamic concept as it changes over space and time (Nmadu et al., 2004). According to Oladeebo (2006), Agricultural land use is the result of the direct application of effort applied in relation to decision made by farmers regarding the actual use and pattern to be use in production. The importance of agriculture in Nigeria cannot be overemphasized. Agriculture contributes more than 40% of the total annual GDP employs about 68% of the labour force accounts for over 70% of the non-oil exports and provides over 80% of the food of the country. Over time, agriculture land use patterns undergo changes usually facilitating greater intensification of land use as a form of adapting to changing contents within an agro-ecosystem (Oviasogie, 2005).

Land use pattern of a region is an outcome of natural and socio- economic factors and their demographic pressure as explained by Emokaro (2008). Farmers have responded to these pressures by expanding the use of land and intensifying production per unit land (Saka, et al., 2011). Food consumption accounts for a larger percentage of household expenditure in Nigeria. It was estimated that about 50% of the total expenditure of house hold in Nigeria in 1994 was on food consumption but this figure increased to about 72% in 1995. The federal ministry of agriculture (200) estimated that the annual food supply would have to increase at an average annual rate of 59 percent to meet food demand and reduce food importation. Studies conducted have shown that aggregate food production has been growing at about 2.5% per annum in recent years in Nigeria, but the annual rate of population has been on the high side up to the tune of 2.9% (Olayemi, 2002). The implication is that Nigeria as a country has not been able to be independent relation to food production despite the increasing resource being shifted into food production annually.

Therefore, in Benue State where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Land Use Pattern and Sustainability in Food Crop Production.

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1.3 Statement of Problems

Investigation revealed that farmers will need to improve more or exploit more of their potentials in food production so that output could be maximized to meet the ever growing demand for food by the increasing population in Nigeria. The agricultural sector faces several challenges worldwide. Out of the 149 million km2 of land on earth, 1/3 is occupied by agricultural land which is characterized by 23% of land under crop production and 77% of pasture. They are mostly located in Africa, Greenland, and Oceania. With the continuous world population growth and the corollary 70–110% increase in food demand on one hand and limiting environmental factors on other hand, it will become very challenging to assure food security to the 9.1 billion people by 2050 (Godfray et al. 2010; Wu et al. 2018).

An increased in population figure especially in the urban centres exert more pressure on demand for food consumption by the populace. In other words, an increase in population will eventually lead to an increased in demand for food consumption. Hence, agriculture land-use planning provides appropriate solutions to this problem of land quality, selection of an appropriate cultivation technique, and furthermore the decision and identification of the ideal land management.

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1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of the study is to examine the Land Use Pattern and Sustainability in Food Crop Production in Benue State. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:

1. To assess the effectiveness of the land efficiency utilization pattern by farmer in food crops production in Benue State.
2. To determine the strategy to be employed in reducing the poverty level of the farmers and food insecurity in Benue State;
3. To ascertain the level of steady increased in Benue State food crops production;
4. To identify some of the challenge and problems faced by the farmers in food crops production in Benue State; and
5. To determine the extent to which efficient food crops production can lead to an improvement in the standard of living of the farmers.

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1.5 Research Questions

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

• Can efficient food crops production lead to an improvement in the standard of living of the farmers?
• What are the strategies to be employed in reducing the poverty level of the farmers and food insecurity in Benue State?
• What is the level of steady increased in Benue State food crops production?
• What are the challenge and problems faced by the farmers in food crops production in Benue State?
• What is the effectiveness of the land efficiency utilization pattern by farmer in food crops production in Benue State?

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1.6 Research Hypothesis

In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.

Hypothesis One

• H0: Food crops production does not lead to an improvement in the standard of living of the farmers
• H1: Food crops production leads to an improvement in the standard of living of the farmers

Hypothesis Two

• H0: There is no significant strategy employed in reducing the poverty level of the farmers and food insecurity in Benue State
• H1: There is significant strategy employed in reducing the poverty level of the farmers and food insecurity in Benue State

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1.7 Significance of Study

The study will have beneficially effect on the Government, farmers and the people (individual) of Benue State in particular and Nigeria at large. Government will be able to implement policies and programmes that will alleviate the problems of food crops farmers which tend to increase the efficiency of these farmers, with that food production will increase making food to be surplus and affordable by the people and this will bring about increase in the standard of living of food crop farmers. Government will also be able to generate revenue and earn foreign exchange through export of the excess.

This study will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.

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1.8 Scope of Study

The scope of the research is focused on the Land Use Pattern and Sustainability in Food Crop Production in Benue State.

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1.9 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:

1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Establishment Policies: Establishment policies posed a serious limitation as most staffs are not ready to release information needed for this project work. There were lots of information needed from the staffs of this establishment to enhance the study which took them time to release or they did not release at all for security purposes, hence the scope was reduced.
3. Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
4. Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
5. Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

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1.10 Definition of Terms

Land: Land, sometimes referred to as dry land, is the solid surface of the Earth that is not permanently covered by water.

Technical Efficiency: It is defined as the ration of product output to the factor input.

Food Crop Production: is growing, raising, cultivation, picking, harvesting, collection of crop that are edible to man.