The Nigerian Land Use Decree and Agricultural Development in Rivers State

Abstract

Many developing countries view land reform as a key to modernization and economic advancement. The impediments to progress of traditional and archaic tenural systems of land ownership in both town and country may be obvious, but there is no one model for their alleviation or removal. Progress of land reform can range from outright nationalization and confiscation of private property as in some Marxist Third World States, to gradual, partial or piecemeal legislation initiated by others. While ownership of land may remain unaltered, a tax on idle or unproductive land can be imposed. The range of measures adopted or debated is in fact, endless and of engaging variety from one society to another. Wherever attempted however, land reform has tended to be an explosive issue, replete with sociological problems of considerable anxiety (Heath, 1970). The purpose of this thesis is to examine some ramification of the Land Use Decree promulgated by the Federal Military Government of Nigeria, while preserving the right of all Nigerians to a piece of the land. The thesis will introduce planners interested in Nigerian Agricultural Planning especially in Rivers State to: a. History of land tenure system in Nigeria and the inevitable problems encountered in the pursuit of economic development. b. The Land Use Decree, its objectives, drawbacks, and accomplishments. c. Agricultural development in the Rivers State under the Land Use Decree and alternative strategies. A questionnaire field survey will be used to examine this objective.