Spatial Distribution, Productivity and Socio-Economic Impact of Urban Agriculture in Jos Metropolis, Plateau State, Nigeria

Urban agriculture (UA) plays an increasingly significant role in supporting urban livelihoods, diversifying income, and supplying fresh produce in rapidly growing cities. This study assessed the spatial distribution, productivity, and socio-economic contributions of UA in Jos Metropolis, Nigeria, using a mixed-method approach combining geospatial mapping, structured surveys, and experimental yield trials. GPS coordinates were recorded and analyzed with ArcGIS. Yield trials on standardized 0.002-hectare plots compared hydroponics, sack farming, and conventional open-field cultivation of yam (Dioscorea spp.) and bell pepper (Capsicum annuum). Socio-economic data were collected through semi-structured questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS. Greenhouses predominate at 76% of mapped urban farm practices, concentrated in peri-urban Jos South where land constraints are lower. Farm sizes range from small plots (<0.01 ha, used for sack and hydroponic systems) to the most common category of 0.01–0.05 ha (44%), with only 4% exceeding 0.1 ha. Vegetables dominate production at 72%, followed by Irish potatoes and yam at 14% each. Most farmers are relatively inexperienced: 44% reported 1–3 years of experience and only 16% exceeded six years. Yield trials demonstrated clear advantages for urban farming systems: the hydroponic system yielded 900 kg of bell pepper versus 210 kg from open-field plots (4.3-fold increase), and sack-farmed yam yielded 90 kg versus 29 kg from conventional plots (3.1-fold increase). Socio-economically, 49.09% of urban farmers earned above ₦140,000 monthly, and farming contributed 65.72% of respondents’ total income. One-year micro-economic analysis at a 26.25% lending rate showed hydroponics as the most viable system (NPV: ₦428,584; IRR: 280.28%; payback: 0.26 years), while sack farming yielded an NPV of ₦18,663, IRR of 43.70%, and payback of 0.70 years. Open-field yam farming returned a negative NPV of −₦101,594 (IRR: −61.63%), confirming its financial non-viability in urban contexts. These findings demonstrate that climate-smart urban farming systems particularly hydroponics and sack farming offer viable pathways for enhancing food security and generating income in space-constrained urban environments.