ABSTRACT
This study examines access to land and its socio-economic implications in Akoko South-west Local Government Area of Ondo State with a view to understanding, associated challenges and the socio-economic implication among rural farmers in the study area. The data used for the study include the ground control points of the study area using Global Positioning System (GPS). Additional information was sourced through structured questionnaire in order to ascertain the socioeconomic characteristics of the farming households, the nature and methods of land accessibility, number of farming households without access to land, the challenges associated with land accessibility (tenant farming migration) among others. Other data include the base map as well as Google Earth image of the study area. The data were analyzed using geographic information Techniques (ArcGIS 10.2, ILWIS, and SURFER), Results shows that vast majority have no access to land for agricultural activities those with access 55.8%, only obtained such land from neighboring communities. The study revealed that built up areas occupies 21.7% of the total land areas, vegetation accounts for 37.3%, (partly available for farmland) while rock outcrop constitutes 41.0% of the total land area in the study area. Hence, rock outcrops constitutes the greater portion of the study area and this has serves as a barrier to land access in the study area. The study further revealed that the method of land access in the neighboring communities is through rent which constitutes 28.4%, while purchase is 21.0% and leasing accounts for 21.2%. Also the study revealed that majority of the respondents own at least an average farm size of between 1-5plots outside the study area. Where they are tenant farmers, the study revealed that there is no much disparities in types of cultivated crops, the migrant farmers cultivates both cash crops and food crops. The study revealed that the issue of poor suitability of land, traditional land and dispute on rented land accounts for greater challenges in accessing land for agriculture in the study area. The research therefore recommends that Government should revisit past agricultural policies as well as the farm settlement policies which should be geared towards creating a specific agricultural zone for farmers, construction of good road network, Subsidies cost of acquiring/renting land in the host communities, government should strengthen security apparatus to enable agriculture practice in the study area to avoid food scarcity and lastly, Government should development other potential land uses that the study area is suitable for in other to generate wealth from it and also, government should provide soft loan and grants for migrants farmers as well as intervention schemes such as farm input like fertilizers to boost production especially for those with small farmlands
