*5.1. Impacts of Urbanization and Population on Agricultural Land Transition*

The National Agency of Statistics and Demography (NASD) site projections of population trends in the study area show a rapid evolution. The population projections data show that there were 5.059,331 million people in 2009 and 6.436,913 million in 2018, with an increase of 27.23% in ten years. A rapid increase in population may be an explanatory factor that is at the origin of agricultural land transition because evolution in population induces demand for housing and occupation of new spaces. On the other hand, the results highlight that urbanization is expanding rapidly in the Thiès area (Figure 3). According to NASD site data, the Thiès region is the most urbanized and populated region after Dakar. This region, whose land area represents less than 2% of Senegal's land area (196,722 km2), concentrates more than 25% of the national population [45]. As a result, the overcrowding of the capital (Dakar), partly explains the rapid development of urbanization in the Thies region. This region (70 km from Dakar) now serves as a secondary city to correct the territorial imbalance; it has been the area to major state projects such as the new Blaise Diagne International Airport. From this perspective, agricultural land fragmentation and scarcity are still mentioned as of considerable constraints on agricultural modernization. It could be exacerbated in the affected area due to a huge agricultural land acquired to support urbanization and industrialization [72]. Therefore, it is undeniable that the loss of agricultural land to urbanization is a serious threat to food security and poverty alleviation, especially in regions where many people are already poor. Consequently, agricultural development in Senegal has to face many challenges related to good land administration and planning for successful socio-economic development, particular rural economic transformation.
