AN ASSESSMENT OF URBAN AGRICULTURAL LAND USE CHANGES USING GEOSPATIAL INFORMATION SYSTEM: A CASE STUDY OF JOS-BUKURU

The urban agricultural land use change of Jos-Bukuru between 1961 and 2002 is assessed. The aim is to generate relevant, accurate and timely data that would enhance the quality of decisions and actions in an attempt to ensure the survival, expansion and the sustainability of urban agricultural land use. A geospatial information system approach was adopted in the mapping and assessment of urban agricultural land use change in the study area Topographic map of Jos-Bukuru urban at the scale of 1:50000, Landsat TM image of 1986 and 2002 with spatial resolution of 30m, among others. Data conversion, digitizing, editing, analysis was carried out using ILWIS 3.2 and Arc-View 3.2 software. The study reveals among others that agricultural land use increased substantially between 1961 and 1986. However, between 1986 and 2002, about 63% of agricultural land was lost. Out of this, about 68% was lost to urban development. The percentage increase in urban in urban expansion was 3.5% from 1961 to 1986 and 3.8% from 1986 to 2002. While the percentage in urban agricultural land use between 1986 and 2002 was 3.9%. Overall, while urban spatial expansion is increasing agricultural land use is decreasing. The study recommends among others that urban agricultural land use should be made a legitimate in urban expansion planning; specific agricultural practices should be zoned to specific locations within the city; and, that urban farming should be incorporated into the poverty alleviation programme of the Federal governmentLand Economics/Use,

ENVIRONMENT, HUMAN HEALTH AND SAFETY PERSPECTIVES TO PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION IN AGRICULTURE

Agriculture, unlike industrial activity which has always resulted in pollution, has been environmentally benign for most of its history until after the Second World War when the system disintegrated. Then, crop residues were incorporated into the soil or fed to livestock, the manure returned to the land in amounts that could be absolved and utilized. Mechanized farming, however, is reliant on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Hence, crop residues and livestock excreta, which were once recycled have become wastes and their disposal a continuing problem for the farmer. With the present national policy on agriculture, there is the need for private sector participation especially in the area of environmental health and safety for economic and environmental sustainability.Environmental Economics and Policy, Farm Management, Health Economics and Policy,

Effect of agrochemical related illness on technical efficiency of lowland rice farmers in Niger and Ogun states Nigeria

This study assessed the effect of agrochemical related illness on technical efficiency of lowland rice farmers in Niger and Ogun States of Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to obtain primary data from a cross section of 304 rice farmers in both states through the use of  questionnaire/interview guide. Data were analyzed through the use of descriptive statistics, cost of illness (COI) estimation, data envelopment analysis (DEA) and Tobit regression. The study revealed that cough was the most (58.10%) prevalent health symptom associated with the use of agrochemicals in the study area and that 46.70% of the rice farmers relied on self-medication. Also, the COI estimation revealed that a total of N4,273 was expended per treatment. The results of the DEA showed that rice farmers in the study area were technically inefficient with a mean score of 0.54, and this was influenced by age ( - 0.002, p < 0.05), sex ( - 0.243, p < 0.01), distance from home to farm ( - 0.007, p < 0.10), number of farm plots ( - −0.007, p < 0.10), cost of illness due to agrochemicals use ( - 5.510 p < 0.10), location ( - −0.298, p < 0.01), farm size ( - 0.112, p < 0.01), and use of fertilizer ( - 0.308, p < 0.01). The study concluded that farmers in the study area were exposed to agrochemical related illnesses and that the exposure influenced their technical efficiency negatively. The study, therefore, recommends the inclusion/enforcement of safety and health information pertaining to agrochemical use on extension packages. Also, policies on land reforms should be tailored towards reducing land fragmentation.Key words: treatment, cost, tobit, economic, applicatio

Assessment of Changes in Aerial Extent of Lake Chad Using Satellite Remote Sensing Data

The study assessed the changes in the aerial extent of Lake Chad using satellite based data sources between 1963 and 2000. The results of the analysis show that Lake Chad has shrunk more than 95% of its area within the period of study. The study observers that aside from climatic variability, proliferation of dams, water supply and irrigation projects along the major rivers that drain into the Lake from the Nigeria Sector of the Lake are possible explanations for the drying of Lake Chad. The study recommends some research and development efforts to save Lake Chad from total extinction

AN ASSESSMENT OF URBAN AGRICULTURAL LAND USE CHANGES USING GEOSPATIAL INFORMATION SYSTEM: A CASE STUDY OF JOS-BUKURU

The urban agricultural land use change of Jos-Bukuru between 1961 and 2002 is assessed. The aim is to generate relevant, accurate and timely data that would enhance the quality of decisions and actions in an attempt to ensure the survival, expansion and the sustainability of urban agricultural land use. A geospatial information system approach was adopted in the mapping and assessment of urban agricultural land use change in the study area Topographic map of Jos-Bukuru urban at the scale of 1:50000, Landsat TM image of 1986 and 2002 with spatial resolution of 30m, among others. Data conversion, digitizing, editing, analysis was carried out using ILWIS 3.2 and Arc-View 3.2 software. The study reveals among others that agricultural land use increased substantially between 1961 and 1986. However, between 1986 and 2002, about 63% of agricultural land was lost. Out of this, about 68% was lost to urban development. The percentage increase in urban in urban expansion was 3.5% from 1961 to 1986 and 3.8% from 1986 to 2002. While the percentage in urban agricultural land use between 1986 and 2002 was 3.9%. Overall, while urban spatial expansion is increasing agricultural land use is decreasing. The study recommends among others that urban agricultural land use should be made a legitimate in urban expansion planning; specific agricultural practices should be zoned to specific locations within the city; and, that urban farming should be incorporated into the poverty alleviation programme of the Federal governmen

Water Level and the Potentials for Wetland Formation and Sustainability in Lower Ogun River Floodplain, Nigeria

Identification, delineation and monitoring of wetlands which requires the understanding and application of their ecological characteristics are critical factors in wetland management and conservation. This study assessed the potentials of wetland formation and sustainability in the lower Ogun river basin by determining the levels of surface and ground water. The study area was divided into 1 km2 grids of 67 units using 0.052 %  sampling intensity for the assessments in dry and wet seasons. Monthly water table levels were assessed in 50 cm soil pit while inundation levels were measured during the flooding event using staff gauge. Assessment was carried out for one year during which frequency and periodicity of water table and inundation events were recorded. Results revealed that low water table level ranged from 5 to 45cm of soil depth and occurred between August and September within 6 grids. Water table and surface water was recorded within a period of 2 – 10 weeks during the rainy season. The peak of water levels coincided with the peak of precipitation (> 200 mm) ranging from 30 to 280 cm between September and October while covering 28.75 km2. Conclusively, surface and groundwater levels were recorded during the rainy season having direct variation with the volume of  precipitation for a duration that is long enough to support the formation of wetland hydrophytes and hydric soil. Keywords: Wetlands; Hydrology; Ground water; Surface water; Inundation; Precipitatio

ENVIRONMENT, HUMAN HEALTH AND SAFETY PERSPECTIVES TO PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION IN AGRICULTURE

Agriculture, unlike industrial activity which has always resulted in pollution, has been environmentally benign for most of its history until after the Second World War when the system disintegrated. Then, crop residues were incorporated into the soil or fed to livestock, the manure returned to the land in amounts that could be absolved and utilized. Mechanized farming, however, is reliant on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Hence, crop residues and livestock excreta, which were once recycled have become wastes and their disposal a continuing problem for the farmer. With the present national policy on agriculture, there is the need for private sector participation especially in the area of environmental health and safety for economic and environmental sustainability

Assessment of Changes in Aerial Extent of Lake Chad Using Satellite Remote Sensing Data

The study assessed the changes in the aerial extent of Lake Chad using satellite based data sources between 1963 and 2000. The results of the analysis show that Lake Chad has shrunk more than 95% of its area within the period of study. The study observers that aside from climatic variability, proliferation of dams, water supply and irrigation projects along the major rivers that drain into the Lake from the Nigeria Sector of the Lake are possible explanations for the drying of Lake Chad. The study recommends some research and development efforts to save Lake Chad from total extinction

Response of Four Phytoplankton Species Found in Some Sectors of Nigerian Coastal Waters to Crude Oil in Controlled Ecosystem

Identification and enumeration of phytoplankton species from Ilaje and Lagos sectors of the Nigerian coastal waters were conducted using standard procedures. Effects of different crude oil concentrations (6 to 50 ppm) on population of Coscnodiscus centralis , Thalassionema frauenfeldii , Odontella mobiliensis , and Ceratium trichoceros at different exposure periods (6 to 42h) via microcosm experiments were then assessed. Results showed that the phytoplankton species consisted of diatoms (83.33%) and dinoflagellates (16.67%) whose abundance ranged from 2 to 516 Cell/mL. Crude oil toxicity varied from 0.06 to 36.43% for C. centralis, 1.41 to 35.58% for C.trichoceros, 1.71 to 46.11% for T. frauenfeldii and 0.66 to 44.90% for O. mobiliensis and showed direct relationship (r -+ 0.81 to +0.97; p < 0.001) with concentration but inverse with exposure period (r = -0.83 to – 0.90; p < 0.001). Vulnerability within 24-h contact decreased in the order: T. frauenfeldii > O. mobiliensis > C. centralis > C. trichoceros. Study is a contribution to the scarce data bank on crude oil doseresponse assessment on plankton species in Nigeria, demonstrating that influx of crude oil into the Nigerian coastal waters is a risk factor to ecological status