Utilizing Farmland Surveying and Geoinformatics to Support Decision Making for Mitigating and Managing Environmental and Land-Use Conflicts in Farming Communities of Imo State, Nigeria

Abstract

The majority of resource disputes arise from boundary disagreements, competing claims to property,
issues surrounding rights, control, and inheritance. This paper thus examines how farmland surveying and
geoinformatics can mitigate conflicts in Imo state, Nigeria. It highlights the causes of land disputes, the
impacts of farmland conflicts, the role of farmland surveying in alleviating these issues, and the
challenges farmers encounter when surveying their properties. A sample of 140 farmers from areas
experiencing land conflicts in Imo state was randomly chosen. Descriptive statistics were utilized for data
analysis. The findings indicated that 50% of the respondents are aged between 51 and 60 years, with 70%
having had their farms surveyed and over 21 years of experience in farming. The identified causes of
conflicts consist of rapid population growth (88.6%), inheritance disputes (97.1%), farmland
encroachment (100%), unclear boundary delineations (96.7%), and land grabbing (96.4%), among others.
The effects, with a mean response of (M) 2.50, include an increase in crime rates (M=3.40),
environmental degradation (M=3.31), diminished economic growth (M=3.10), and lower agricultural
productivity (M=2.81), among others. Farmland surveying helps to reduce conflicts by establishing clear
and precise land boundaries (M=2.81), enabling farmers to invest in their land, providing proof of
ownership (M=2.89), securing property rights (M=2.57), offering expert testimony in court (M=2.79), and
preventing land encroachments (M=2.61), among other benefits. The challenges encountered include a
lack of perceived necessity for land surveys (92.8%), the expense associated with surveying farmland
(100%), limited access to surveying technology (88.6%), insufficient prioritization (91.4%), and existing
knowledge of boundaries (85%), among others.