The Effect of Owerri Urban Expansion on Agricultural Land Use and Rural Livelihood in Imo State

Urban expansion in Nigerian secondary cities is rapidly converting agricultural land to residential and commercial uses, with significant implications for rural livelihoods and food production in affected peri-urban communities. This study examines the effect of Owerri's urban spatial expansion on agricultural land use patterns and rural livelihood outcomes in Imo State from 2019 to 2024. The study is grounded in the Von Thunen Land Use Theory, which provides a framework for analyzing how proximity to an urban market center influences land allocation between agricultural and non-agricultural uses as urbanization pressure intensifies. A mixed-methods research design was adopted, combining structured questionnaire surveys with geographic information system (GIS) land use mapping. The target population comprised 8,000 farming households in eight peri-urban communities of Owerri urban zone. A sample of 368 respondents was selected using stratified random sampling. Findings reveal that over 12,000 hectares of cultivated farmland within a 15-kilometer radius of Owerri were converted to non-agricultural uses between 2019 and 2024. Displaced farmers reported an average 56 percent decline in agricultural income without commensurate livelihood alternatives. Land compensation from government and private developers was judged inadequate by 84 percent of affected respondents. The study concludes that urban expansion in Owerri is generating a measurable agricultural displacement crisis in Imo State's peri-urban communities. It is recommended that Imo State formulate a comprehensive peri-urban land use policy that mandates livelihood replacement programs for farming households displaced by urban development.

Keywords: Urban expansion, agricultural land use, rural livelihoods, Von Thunen theory, Owerri