ABSTRACT

This study employed multiple regression to examine the effect of population pressure on agricultural land use with emphasis on cropping systems in Imo and Ebonyi States, Nigeria. A random sampling technique was used to select 193 and 107 households respectively from Imo and Ebonyi States based on a simple proportion of their populations. The shifting cultivation ratio showed that Imo State is under short fallow agriculture at 48 per cent, while Ebonyi State is under long fallow agriculture at 32 per cent. The study found population pressure, labour intensity and manure and fertilizer applications to be positively and significantly affecting agricultural intensification at 5 per cent level of significance, while manure application was significant at 10 per cent. Also, farm size and farm distance were significant but negatively affects agricultural intensification at 5 per cent level of significance. The number of years of cropping experience was negatively significant at 1 per cent in Imo State, but had a positive effect at 5 per cent in Ebonyi State. Income from the farm although not significant, has a positive relationship with agricultural intensification. The Chow's test revealed that there is significant difference in land use intensity between Imo and Ebonyi States, with the former being more intensified. It is therefore recommended that the land use act of 1978 be reviewed in favour of farmers in order to increase their accessibility to land for farming. Also recommended is the construction of feeder roads in the villages that lead to farm lands and market squares, with available and affordable means of transportation through collaborative efforts of private enterprises, community based organizations (CBOs) and well to do individuals, to reduce the average farm distances, while the government provides enabling environment through the enactment of policies. Further more, agriculturists from universities, research institutes, food and agricultural organization (FAO), as well as government ministries and departments of agriculture should be encouraged to go into agricultural production. This has twin potentials of increasing the availability of agricultural inputs (e.g. fertilizer) at cheap and affordable costs, in addition to providing practical education, orientation and demonstration for the rural farmers on the need to adopt modern farming techniques. Policies that will provide effective market for agricultural products should be enacted and religiously implemented by the government, to increase farmers' revenue.