Assessing the Effects of Urban Sprawl on the Livelihoods of Peri- Urban Crop Farmers of Accra: The Case of Bortianor

Abstract

The demand for, and conversion of agricultural lands into non-agricultural land-use is rapidly increasing at an alarming rate due to the fact that urban population is sharply rising in recent times. Land is difficult to access and afford in the city. In areas in the city where land seems to be available, there is the aligned challenge of inadequacy and affordability. The need for space for both residential and non-residential use has shifted attention of urban dwellers and newcomers from the urban core towards the peri-urban enclaves of cities. The result of the shift in demand and use of land from the urban core to the periphery is consequently bringing about conversion of agricultural lands in these peri-urban areas to non-agricultural uses such as infrastructural development. The livelihoods of peri-urban crop farmers continue to be threatened over the years of rapid development in cities. This study assessed the effects of urban-sprawl on the livelihoods of peri-urban vegetable and crop farmers and the strategies adopted by these farmers in adapting to the challenges that urban sprawl pose to their livelihoods. A mixed method approach was adopted in examining the underlying key research questions of the study. A multistage sampling technique was used in sampling respondents for the study and data was gathered from both primary and secondary sources. For the quantitative data, 192 respondents were sampled. Furthermore, six (6) key informant interviews were conducted to obtain detailed qualitative data. These key informants comprise traditional authorities, government officials, and local people. They include the chief of the community, the queen mother, the District Planning Officer, the Assembly member, and two elderly farmers. The results indicated that most farmers representing 87.5% have lost their farmlands to residential and business developers. It is also found that the main livelihoods activities of indigenous residents which used to be mainly farming and fishing has declined from 85.0% to 37.5% for farming, and 4.3% to 3.5% for fishing. Occurring alongside the decline in farming and fishing is the witnessing of an increase in trading activities from 7.0% to 51.0%. The study concludes that most peri-urban vegetable and crop farmers are shifting towards non-agricultural livelihood activities. The study noted that this shift in livelihood activity is not a result of non-agricultural activities being more lucrative than agriculture activities, rather, it is a result of the loss of land in the peri-urban areas to infrastructural development, and thus the ability to engage in sustainable vegetable and food crop production is hindered considerably. The study recommends that interventions be positioned to reduce encroachment on farmlands. Also, support systems to ensure land intensification should be enhanced so that the maximum output can be achieved from the available land so that farmers can sustain their livelihoods.