Spatial Interaction in an Urban-rural Setting: A Case Study of Agbor and its Rural Environs

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Date
1986
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Publisher
Obafemi Awolowo University
Abstract
This dissertation examined the validity of the hypothesis that the conditions of complementarities, absence of intervening opportunity and transferability, must be satisfied before interaction occurs between spatial units. The research setting was the region comprising Agbor and four rural settlements -Umunede, Owa-Alero, Uteokpu and Abavo. Observational and questionnaire surveys were conducted. Spatial and socio-economic variables from the questionnaire survey were used in the subsequent description and analyses of interaction networks and facilities in the study area through potential and Gravity model applications and correlation analysis. This study found out that interaction between the settlements was influenced by the volume of production, services and facilities. All the settlements interacted with one another, although the rural sub region with fewer and poorer facilities and production centres, was more dependent on. the urban area (Agbor). Poor road conditions and effects of intervening opportunities prevented a high degree of interaction between the settlements. Therefore, the need to upgrade infrastructures and facilities in the region was stressed, especially for the rural sub region, in order to achieve balance. From the various analyses, the study concluded that the conditions of complementarities and transferability were always satisfied before interaction took place. However, interaction within the study area occurred in spite of the presence of intervening opportunities, which hindered some and not all of interaction volume. Under certain circumstances, inhabitants interacted for personal, economic and socio-cultural purposes, which rendered the attraction of intervening opportunities irrelevant. Therefore, the conditions of complementarities and transferability were regarded as valid, while the intervening opportunity factor was only partly validated.
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Keywords
Socio-economic variables, spatial interaction, rural settlements, gravity model, correlation analysis/, infrastructural facility
Citation
APA