A Comparative Analysis of Agricultural Land Use in Ikere Ekiti, Nigeria

Abstract

Agriculture is the mainstay of Nigerians. This is exemplified by the fact that more than 70 percent of Nigerians are involved in this sector (Olayide, 1980). However, a lot of land use problems beset the Nigerian farmers hence the prospects of the sector are better appreciated by a comparative analysis of agricultural pattern in the developing and the developed world. Von Thünen’s agricultural land use provided the basis of arguments while distances from the city centre, crops planted, means of transport and number of days spent on farm constitute the data collected on the basis of primary source. The result revealed that there is total departure of what existed in Ikere agricultural region with that of Von Thünen. The major deviation is that food crops and forest woods were grown in distance farms. In conclusion, the paper recommends intensive use of fertilizer for nearby farms with reduction in land left to fallow. This will further create more land for use in nearby farms

Keywords:Land use, farming system, crops planted, agriculture, comparative analysis.