Application of Geographic Information Systems in Mapping Horticultural Production Zones in Benue State

Efficient horticultural planning and resource allocation require spatially explicit information on production zones, land suitability, and infrastructure distribution. In Benue State, a major horticultural hub in North Central Nigeria, the absence of digital spatial databases on vegetable and fruit production areas hampers effective extension delivery and investment planning. This study applies geographic information systems (GIS) to map active horticultural production zones, assess land suitability for vegetable cultivation, and identify proximity to markets and irrigation sources across five local government areas of Benue State. Satellite imagery from Sentinel-2 was processed alongside field-verified ground truth data collected from 200 farm households. Supervised classification was performed to delineate active production areas, and multi-criteria GIS analysis was applied to generate land suitability maps. Results identify approximately 45,000 hectares of high-suitability land for horticultural production in the study area, of which only 62 percent is currently under cultivation. Access to water bodies and proximity to Makurdi's urban market were identified as the strongest determinants of active land use. The study recommends integration of GIS-based horticultural mapping into Benue State's agricultural development planning framework and the establishment of a state horticultural geodatabase for extension and policy use. Keywords: GIS, horticultural mapping, land suitability, Benue State, spatial analysis