OPTIMIZING THE USE OF LAGOS WETLAND RESOURCE IN SOUTHWEST NIGERIA

Abstract

This study determined the optimum pattern of allocating wetland resource among competing agricultural uses in Southwest Nigeria. It was based on primary data collected on livelihood activities of 96 wetland users that were drawn in a multistage sampling process. The data were obtained by administration of questionnaire that was designed to elicit information on the respondents’ socio-economic characteristics and livelihood activities around the wetlands. The data were analyzed by descriptive, budgetary techniques and linear programming (LP). The study revealed that most (88.5%) were males, having primary (36.5%) or secondary (38.5%) school education. Budgetary analysis showed that the Net Factor Income (NFI) per ha per year, which is the economic value of the wetland when used for crop farming, was N263,699 and N175,633 for Badagry and Epe wetlands respectively. Shadow prices obtained from the LP results shows that each hectare of wetland put into agricultural production, results in N272,557/ha/year increase in farm households’ income at Badagry and N57,347/ha/year at Epe wetland. The study therefore concludes that wetlands add to the economic well-being of rural farmers as they are used as resources for continuous production of farm produce. The study thus recommends that wetland destruction should be discouraged as it leads to a considerable loss of farm income.