Land Tenure Systems and Agricultural Productivity in Gombe Nigeria

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the existing land tenure systems in Gombe state Nigeria with a view to determining its impact on agricultural productivity in the study area. The targeted population for the study comprised of 7,832 households in purposively selected agrarian settlements cutting across the 3 senatorial districts in Gombe state Nigeria. The population was stratified into three zones and two locations were selected from each zone. The sample size for the study comprised of 500 households in each of the study locations. Hence, 500 questionnaires were administered on the household heads of the 6 study locations making a total of 3,000 questionnaires (representing 38.3% of the targeted population). However only 2,223 (74.1%) questionnaires were correctly filled and returned for analysis. The random sampling technique was adopted in the questionnaire administration. Descriptive statistical tools such as frequency counts, averages, weighted mean and percentages were used in analyzing the data obtained. The Relative Importance Index (RII) was used to identify and rank the variables. Inferential statistical tool such as multiple regressions were also used in analyzing the relationship between the criterion or dependent variable and the predictors or independent variables. The study revealed that customary land tenure system is the predominant type of tenure system (60.1%) practiced in the study area. Similarly, agricultural productivity in the study area was shown to be impeded by land tenure insecurity (RII, 0.933963), political/bureaucratic bottlenecks in land rights acquisition for agricultural purposes (0.846154) and tenure rules such as stipulated in the Nigerian Land Use Act of 1978 (RII, 0.65596) among others. The study also showed a strong positive relationship of 0.809 between land tenure systems and agricultural productivity in the study area. The study concluded that for better agricultural productivity in the study area in particular and similar developing economies in general, farmers need to have secured land tenure as this encourages investments in the secured land which consequently improves agricultural productivity.

Sustainable Land and Food Security in Female-Led Agrarian Households of Tula, Nigeria

“…From the participants' responses, which was further depicted on the semantic networks in Figure 2, it was revealed that firstly, the dominant land tenure systems practised in the study area were mainly the customary and informal tenure systems. This finding is congruent with similar African based studies such as Lawal et al (2019) and Dabara et al (2019). Secondly, the participants identified three means by which they acquired their land, which include purchase, leasing and squatting.…”

“…This is necessary because it has been found that women are more involved in food production at household levels; and that there is a nexus between LTS and FS (Dokken, 2015). Similarly, in Nigeria, LTS was found to significantly impact on production in the Agricultural sector (Dabara et al, 2019). Other factors impacting on FS as observed by scholars include the size of a household, the size of family's cultivable land, and the income level of the household's head (Abu & Soom, 2016).…”

“…This finding agrees with Babatunde et al (2008), where it was revealed that over 70% of Nigerians do not have access to three square meals per day. Similarly, Dabara et al (2019) found that only 25.1% of respondents in a study conducted in Southwestern Nigeria had access to three square meals per day. This situation is quite pathetic; there is need for all stakeholders to put their hands on deck to ensure that the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of achieving access to food and zero hunger for all people (SDG target 2.1) by the year 2030 is achieved.…”

“…In Nigeria, all land is vested in the government under the Land Use Act of 1974 (Ankeli et al, 2015a(Ankeli et al, , 2015bDabara et al, 2012). Individuals are granted limited tenure rights to such land by the government either through the customary land tenure system or the statutory land tenure system (Ankeli et al, 2017a;Dabara et al, 2019). The FS and food sustainability agenda are possible in Nigeria.…”

Stakeholders’ Perceptions on Agricultural Land-Use Change, and Associated Factors, in Nigeria

“…The state governors provide the right of occupancy for land users. However, majority of the land in Nigeria, especially agricultural lands, are still unregistered with a proof of right of occupancy [47,48]. Consequently, majority of the farmers still suffer from tenure insecurity.…”