Assessment of activities of realtors on land use for agricultural purposes in Akinyele Local Government Area, Oyo State, Nigeria

Land is the most essential factor of agricultural production, its importance cannot be overemphasized in cultivation of crops, rearing of animals, forestry and agro-processing. Availability of land is the most indispensable factor of agricultural production.
This study investigated the effect of the activities of Realtors on land use for agricultural purposes in Akinyele Local Government Area, Oyo State. The study described the socio-economic characteristic of the respondents, identified the factors determining land procured by Realtors, examined the effects of the activities of Realtors on land used for agricultural purposes, identified the factors affecting land used for agricultural purposes, and assessed the severity of various challenges affecting land used for agricultural purposes.
A purposive sampling technique was employed to select 75 Respondents and data for the study were collected with the use of a well-structured interview schedule. Twenty-five percentage (25%) of the twelve agricultural blocks in the local government area were selected for the study. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as (frequency count, Weighted Mean Score) and inferential (Chi-Square) statistical tool to test the hypothesis of the study.
Majority (81.3%) of the respondent were male, the respondent are moderately educated. Land ownership is mostly through inheritance. Size of available land (98.7%) and the location (84.0%) are the major factors determining land procured by Realtors, disruption of the ecosystem, reduced land for agricultural production, dislocation of farmland and animal pens are the major effects of activities of Realtors. The study established a significant relationship between sex (X2 = 29.453, p ≤ 0.000), marital status (X2 = 77.267, p ≤ 0.000), Religion (X2 = 29.360, p ≤ 0.000), Level of Education (X2 = 18.920, p ≤ 0.000), land Acquisition Pattern (X2 = 21.267, p ≤ 0.000) of the Respondents and availability of land for agricultural purposes.
The study recommended a strict adherence to town-planning master plan and sanctions for offenders and those involved in land grabbing. It also advocates, establishment of farm village and agricultural hubs where to involved in agricultural productions could enjoy comparative advantage and pull of resources for agricultural production.