Share
ACCESS to arable land is one of the biggest challenges smallholder farmers face in Nigeria, especially in the maritime states of the Niger Delta. As of 2018, data from the World Bank revealed that Nigeria’s percentage of arable land to the total land area was 37.3 per cent. And, of course, with the constantly growing population, access would continually shrink, with the poor smallholder farmer being the most affected.
Multi-layered impact
For the smallholder farmers whose livelihoods are partly or entirely dependent on agriculture and based on a traditional production system, land plays a pivotal role in shaping and directing livelihoods and lack of access to farmland may cause multiple livelihood difficulties. In a society like Nigeria’s, where agriculture is more market-oriented, in which family farming a means of farming managed and operated on family labour provides a principal source of employment, generating the income with which to buy food, access to arab
PIND: Access to land a major problem for farmers in Niger Delta
April 01
Advertisement
Chuks Ofulue, PIND’s advocacy manager, said increased access to agricultural land will improve the quality of lives of vulnerable citizens in the Niger Delta region.
Ofulue was speaking at a roundtable organised by the organisation in Asaba, the Delta state capital, on Wednesday.
He explained that prior to the event, the foundation conducted a study on access to agricultural land in Edo, Ondo and Delta states.
Advertisement
“We know that access to land is the fundamental means whereby the poor can ensure food supplies to meet and generate income through production and processing as a means of livelihood.