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This article recounts our field experience and research in TfD in the Ofabo community, Kogi State, Nigeria. Through socially engaged performance and participant observation, this study finds that the poor state of drinking water in the Ofabo community results from government negligence, inadequate awareness, and the inactivity of community stakeholders/representatives. TfD approach works for education, awareness creation, and community mobilisation but there is a need for multi-disciplinary, public, and private partnership-based engagement in the region to make water testing and water treatment possible and to maximise the community-friendly engagement medium that the TfD methodology creates for measurable rural development.

This study investigated the extent to which personal factors relate to the utilization of development information in the rural communities of South-South Geo-political Zone, Nigeria. The study adopted the descriptive survey design. The population comprised all adult male and female rural dwellers from the three out of the six states in the Zone (Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Rivers States). A sample size of two thousand, four hundred respondents was selected for the study. Questionnaire was used for data collection. The instrument which was validated by three experts in relevant fields has two parts: part A elicited the respondents' bio-data while part B consisted of five items which elicited information to answer the research hypothesis. The items were structured on a modified four-point Likert scale. In the research area, the instrument was administered personally by the researchers and with the help of research assistants. Percentages were used to provide information on the respondents' bio-data while ANOVA and multiple regression were used to answer the research question. While ANOVA determined the joint contributions of the predictors (dependent variables), multiple regression analysis indicated the relative contributions of the predictors. The results showed that the respondents personal characteristics had significant joint contributions to their utilization of development information; age, educational attainment and sex had significant positive contributions while marital status and occupation had negative contributions. It was recommended that rural development planners must take into account the special circumstances of the rural people especially their age, sex, occupation, educational level and marital status if they are to participate meaningfully in development.

Agricultural broadcasts on radio play a major role in agricultural extension and rural development in Nigeria due to the low ratio of extension agents in relation to the farming population. The broadcasts have been on air for some time and therefore there is a need to investigate their acceptance among the rural dwellers in Southwestern Nigeria. Multistage random sampling technique was used to select 450 respondents from three out of the six states that make up Southwestern Nigeria. They were asked to respond to an interview schedule designed for the study. Out of the returned schedules, 438 were found suitable for analyses. Results showed that agricultural broadcasts enjoyed wide listenership (94.1%) among the respondents, many of whom (69.0%) had medium listenership index (64.3%). Rural dwellers' educational attainment was significantly related to listenership of rural development broadcasts (chi[superscript 2] = 69.619), while there was no significant relationship between rural dwellers' perception (r = -0.080, P greater than 0.05) of agricultural broadcasts and listenership of agricultural broadcasts. Since agricultural broadcasts enjoyed wide listenership and were found to be potentially beneficial to the rural dwellers, they should be sustained, while avenues of improving the programming should be explored. (Contains 6 tables.)

The paper reports the outcome of a funded non-formal, functional adult literacy project embarked upon in the university-based "Isoya" rural development programme area in south-western Nigeria from 2005-2007. It specifically presents the approaches used in legitimising the literacy project amongst community people; and reports the positive impact of the project on community empowerment. A case study design was used to carry out the study amongst adult literacy class participants. It was found that the average income of learners per month in Nigerian Naira (NGN) at the commencement of the adult class increased from NGN 39,083.33 (approximately US$ 253.71) to NGN 54,409.09 (approximately US$ 353.19) after the first phase of the project. Also, participant learners realised that they had acquired basic reading and writing skills and have, thus, acquired self-esteem in addition to experiencing some socio-economic progress as well as the ability to better understand their ecological environment. Well over 88.0% of the adult learners perceived that they became more politically conscious as a result of the adult class they attended. (Contains 3 notes, 2 tables, and 4 figures.)

This paper looks at brokerage functions in a project on building innovation capacity through improved networking. Innovation capacity influences how actors respond to changes in their environments. In such dynamic environments well connected sets of actors are at an advantage in that they can combine skills to address the emerging opportunities and challenges. However, policy and cultural barriers especially in African innovation systems raise the transaction costs of networking leading to weak connectivity among actors thus poor innovation capacity. This paper uses case studies from West Africa to illustrate that actors that play brokerage functions are critical in navigating around or dismantling the barriers and thus enhance innovation capacity. This paper assumes that innovation capacity rather than innovations per se is lacking in African agriculture. The paper is a product of an action research based study of Key Partner Organizations and the coalitions of stakeholders they formed around fodder innovation themes in Nigeria. We show that brokerage negotiates innovation barriers and improves networking. The paper concludes that brokerage roles are context-specific; policies that facilitate eclectic brokerage functions are critical. This paper is shedding light on the broadened scope for actors playing boundary roles, e.g. extension organizations under more relaxed organizational and policy contexts. There are few studies on brokerage and boundary work particularly in African agriculture. This study is a grounded discussion on the brokering functions in African rural development. It uses data from similar programmes to qualify observations and conclusions from the Fodder Innovation Project (FIP) case study. (Contains 1 figure, 1 table and 1 note.)

There is a growing concern about the marginalization of the Niger Delta region of Nigeria in terms of infrastructural and social services provision. This study examined the water supply deficiency and its general implications for rural development within the region. Data and other study characteristics were extracted from 501 subjects drawn from 13 villages of Ngwa North and South Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Abia State. Data were analyzed using simple percentages and logistic regression models. Results showed that people living in the area experience acute water supply deficiency which has impacted negatively on their social, economic, and political lives.

The study focused on constraints affecting the utilization of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for agricultural extension activities by Agricultural Extension Officers in Nigeria's Niger Delta Region. Data were derived from 160 extension officers affiliated to both public and private extension organizations in four states of the Niger Delta. Findings revealed important specific constraints to include: poor ICT infrastructure development, high cost of broadcast equipment, high charges for radio/television presentations, high cost of access/interconnectivity and electricity power problems. The use of Factor Analysis aided to crystallize identified constraints into three factors of "poor enabling environment", "lack of access" and "dissemination of unrelated information". Against the background of several national government initiatives to develop the infrastructure base of the country, recommendations are proffered to ameliorate ICT use constraints. (Contains 5 tables.)

Non-Governmental organizations (NGOs) promote alternative development strategies to those provided by the government. The economic recession being witnessed in developing countries like Nigeria and the poor performance of many government development programmes have made NGOs more relevant than ever. NGOs play an increasingly important role in rural development in particular and societal development in general, for which extension education is one of their policy instruments. This paper addresses the issue of self-evaluation among non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The impact of NGOs' interventions shows that there is change in living standards, income generation access to infrastructures and also change in literacy levels. This may have either a positive or negative effect upon the lives of the beneficiaries. In general, self-evaluation is seen to be a non-priority area for three reasons: there is little performance pressure on NGOs, the perspectives available for evaluation do not match the context in which NGOs function and the existing methodologies for evaluation are not appropriate for the evaluation process to become institutionalized within the NGOs. The paper discusses each of these in turn and proposes action to be taken by the NGOs and by those with whom they work, especially the poor donor agencies, etc.. The recommendation, if adopted, should encourage NGOs to engage in more systematic evaluation of their own programmes and, thus, improve their impact and efficiency.

This paper has analyzed the characteristic features of women's associations and problems inhibiting their effective participation in rural development projects in Osun State, Nigeria. One rural local government area was purposively selected in each of the six administrative zones in Osun State, based on high degrees of ruralness. A list of registered or formal women's associations was collected from each of the six selected Local Government Area headquarters. Snowball sampling technique and community key informants were employed to identify the non-registered or informal women's associations in the study area. Sixty women's associations (one formal and one informal from each of the 30 selected rural communities), purposively selected based on performance and availability, were interviewed by means of structured interview schedule consisting of both closed and opened ended questions (to exhaust all possibilities) duly pre tested before use. A total of 137 women's associations were identified in the study area. The popular goals of the majority were: financial assistance (96.4%), supporting members during ceremonies (95.0%), community development (86.9%), donating to the needy (69.3%), and exchange of helping hands in occupations (51.1%). A majority (53.3%) had between 21-40 members, formed before 1992 (70%), and about 50.6% and 40% disseminated information through minutes of the meetings and interpersonal contact respectively, while 43.3% claimed members' contributions as their major source of finance. About 48.3% met between 11-15 times a year, and 57.1% claimed attendance of meetings as the major responsibility of their members. The participation of the selected women's associations in rural development projects was average, with a mean of about three projects. A significant relationship was found between the participation of women's associations in the development projects of their communities and problems facing them, namely; finance (T=-2.38), tribalism (T=2.37), and lack of community supports (T=-2.39). The study concludes that women's associations are very prominent in the sampled rural areas. However, inadequate finance, tribalism and lack of community support are among the major problems inhibiting their effective participation in the development projects of their communities. (Contains 4 tables and 2 figures.)

Highlights the role that innovative rural public library services can play in the development process of Nigeria to improve rural users' literacy and education and enhance their ability to use practical information relevant to their daily lives. Discusses information needs in rural Nigeria and the role of the rural librarian. (Author/LRW)

Discusses the concepts of agricultural education, women empowerment, and sustainable rural development. Suggests that, because women make up more than half of Nigeria's population, their empowerment would assist the efforts for sustainable rural development. (Contains 48 references.) (JOW)

The Isoya Rural Development Project appears to have enhanced Nigerian women's multiple roles (maternal, occupational, conjugal, domestic, kin, community, and individual). Limitations of the project include poor rural infrastructure, male-oriented cultural norms, and lack of direct access to land by women. (SK)

Describes a study that was conducted to determine the information needs of women in rural areas of Nigeria. Survey results are reported concerning age, education, occupation, economic status, and sources of useful information; and solutions to solve the information gap that center around disseminating information through radio messages are suggested. (14 references) (LRW)

This study surveys rural Nigerian residents concerning local water resource uses and tourists' recreational activities with respect to scales of awareness, understanding, and incentive. Results indicate a public willingness to encourage and finance the rural development of water bodies for agricultural purposes exclusive of investment for tourism purposes. (JJK)

A survey of rural-to-urban migrants in Nigeria found that 58.2 percent contributed financially to community development projects in their areas of origin. Concludes that rural out-migration is encouraged by rural inhabitants to combat poverty and suggests government policies to encourage further migrant involvement. (FMW)

A study of three Nigerian villages produced the following suggestions for improving the problems facing rural community development: democratic participative decision making, care in project selection, government incentives, promotion of adult literacy, and well-trained community workers. (SK)

Describes the new national policy changes in education as: (1) dividing the secondary school into two phases, each lasting three years; (2) creating the junior secondary school composed of pre-vocational and academic courses; and (3) creating the senior secondary school which is comprehensive in its curriculum. (BSR)

The paper documents and analyzes the nature of community self-help efforts in rural areas of Anambra State, Nigeria. It notes that community perceptions of development are based on a social and economic yardstick and differ from the prevailing public policy on agricultural development. (Author/SB)

Reviews experiments in Kenya and Nigeria attempting to modify the progressive-farmer strategy. Success requires that extension services recognize small farmers' ability to make their own rational decisions and involve farmers in planning and implementing extension programs. Available from: Rural Sociological Society, 325 Morgan Hall, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37916. (NEC)

The history of the literacy campaigns in Nigeria is the story of attempts made to focus on the importance of education outside the school walls and to make it a vehicle of social, political, and economic change. (Author/SK)

This study was designed to evaluate communication and development which are termed by scholars as twin concepts because when development is initiated, the person, community or a society such a development is targeted at must be properly carried along through the instrument of communication. This is considered important to allow for proper diffusion, adoption and possible sustainability of such a development. Four objectives, four research questions, and two hypotheses were formulated to direct the study based on identified variables. Literature was reviewed in tandem with identified variables and the participatory communication theory used to explain the phenomenon under study. It utilised the ex-post facto research design in selecting a sample size of 355 using a quota sampling technique. Findings indicate that the communication approach adopted in the execution of the selected rural development projects was one that created a social distance between benefactors. It also indicates that the target population and benefactors failed to adopt appropriate communication approach which would have equally granted them access to lean their voices before the implementation of those projects. Based on the findings, the following recommendations were made: benefactors of rural development projects should always adopt communication approaches that give and afford benefiting community's opportunity to equally express their own opinions about any development projects meant for them for sustainable rural development. Host communities of rural development projects should always make use of communication channels which are easily understood and appraised by beneficiary communities rather than depending only on the mass media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theatre for Development (TfD) is a type of community-based or interactive theatre practice that aims to promote civic dialogue and engagement that uses performances as a participatory tool to help individuals and groups share their experiences with the intent of social transformation and empowerment. But the policy has failed to involve or include the people in the rural areas in development that concerns their lives. This observe therefore addresses the hassle of under improvement and disempowerment among Nigerian population especially in some selected Ekiti communities with the aid of exploring the validity of Theatre for Development Methodology. The demanding situations of human empowerment, transformation, emancipation and rural development remain critical issues in Ekiti State. The paper adopts qualitative studies technique, incorporating development communication via cybernetic pedagogy, participant commentary in its facts gathering and content analysis at the same time, ethnographic research layout method of records collection is used in the BOUESTI/ selected communities in Ekiti. Theatre for Development projects. The projects x-rayed the low-level of development in these clusters which includes, the urban drift of youths the neglect and lack of support of the widows from within and without, lack of health centre and convenient facilities (i.e. toilets) which toll the death rate of the people on the increase. The look hence unearths that Theatre for Development possesses the potency for facilitating human improvement in all ramifications if correctly carried out. This paper therefore recommends that the usage of the theatre for Development alternative which encompasses the conventional nuance of conversation, performance-oriented approach to promote dialogue, create attention and inspire participation would decorate sustainable development in the communities and the nation at large. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Proper utilization of Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) has been shown to be very effective in preventing malaria and in reducing the incidence of the disease. Getting people to buy and utilize ITNs has proven very difficult especially in low-income settings of sub-Saharan Africa where the disease is endemic. This research work, therefore assesses the effectiveness of the application of social marketing strategies in encouraging the acquisition and utilization of ITNs. Focus of the Article: The marketing mix concept which is usually referred to as the 4Ps of social marketing-price, place, product and promotion-were put to test to identify how the respondents will respond to variation in any of them. The research aims to assess the people's response to a favorable change in the price of ITNs, product quality, product location and target advertisement. Research Question: The research questions that this study aimed to answer is; will the introduction of the traditional marketing mix of social marketing help drive the acquisition and utilization of ITNs by the people in rural communities of Imo State, Nigeria? Program Design/Approach: The research report contained in this manuscript is targeted at health products (tangible and intangible) marketing researchers in resource-limited settings. These researchers who may not be able to afford the acquisition of large quantity health products like the ITNs to conduct their study can adopt the method employed in this study. Here the "prospect" of using social marketing strategies like the traditional marketing mix, to determine a possible increase in the acquisition and utilization of ITNs by the people. Importance to the Social Marketing Field: This study describes how researchers in low-and-middle income countries could conduct a social marketing research on tangible products such as the ITN without really selling ITNs. The people's intent to buy and use ITNs were assessed. More than 10 previous studies from as far back as 1999 were assessed, none of them employed the current methodology. Methodology: This study was a descriptive cross-sectional study where a multi-stage sampling technique was employed to recruit the study participants. Results: It was found that 55.1% had ITNs, good utilization rate of 80.6% was recorded among those who possessed ITNs. Using the social marketing principle to assess respondents' intent to own and use ITNs, an increase of 27.2%, 38.1%, 31.3%, and 35.9% will be achieved if the cost of acquiring ITNs becomes affordable, when ITNs become accessible, when practical guidance on use was provided, and when quality was improved. The study also revealed that, the vigorous pursue of social marketing techniques can enhance the sales of ITNs and its usage among the people. Recommendation for Research or Practice: This study has justified the usefulness of social marketing in engendering positive behavioural change where people can be motivated to adopt a health innovation. It is therefore recommended that health innovations and products must be sold to the people using social marketing strategies as this has been proven not only to encourage adoption/acquisition, but also utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complex nature of formal financial products and services and the frequently associated innovations occasioned by disruptive technologies inform researchers' calls for studies on financial literacy, particularly in African rural communities. As a response to the calls, this study explores how financial literacy relates to performance, access to credit facilities, and payment preferences among smallholder rural farmers in Nigeria. Further, the rural farmers' financial literacy level on each of the four dimensions of the Standard and Poor Global Financial Literacy criteria was assessed. A random sample was drawn from the registered rural farmers in the Central Bank of Nigeria's Anchored Borrower's Program for the 2022 farming year. Quantitative data were collected from rural farmers using the Standard and Poor Global Financial Literacy questionnaire. The proposed hypotheses were tested with partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), while descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. The outcomes show that financial literacy significantly predicts performance, access to credit facilities, and mode of payment preferences among smallholder rural farmers. Also, the analyses of the four dimensions of financial literacy show that the farmers are more literate in risk diversification and inflation than numeracy and compound interest. It is concluded that financial literacy is cardinal to profitable investments in rural farming, and as such, there is a need for the Nigerian government and financial authorities to embark on financial literacy drive with more emphasis on numeracy and compound interest where the rural farmers are more deficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bell pepper farming significantly contributes to economic development in Abua. However, phyto-parasitic nematodes are endemic in the area and affect quality of crop yield. Hence, this study was undertaken to investigate the dynamics of occurrence of nematodes in bell pepper roots and soil samples of the farms in Abua. Roots and soil from the root rhizosphere were simultaneously collected at 0-20 cm depth using an improvised soil auger and knife. Modified sieve plate technique was employed for nematode detection and a pictorial key was used for nematode identification at the genera level. An overall nematode abundance of 746 nematodes in the soil around the root region and 216 nematodes in the root tissues of the bell peppers were recorded. Gracilachus species (10.6 %) was more prevalent in the soil, and Meloidogyne species (35.2 %) exhibited the highest population in roots. The study found that Abua's cultivated soil is susceptible to nematode infestation, limiting crop performance. The nematodes showcased root burrowing which is an inherent pattern for survival. The result on root nematodes across the five bell farms surveyed was not significant (p > 0.05). The result opined that farmers in Abua, Rivers State, should understand the role of the soil nematodes and implement soil improvement strategies for improved crop performance and rural economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Education is becoming fundamental to development as it plays a very crucial role in securing economy, improving income distribution and enhancing social progress. However, there are numerous challenges militating against formal education in several rural areas of Nigeria. In view of these, the potential gaps, constraints, and needs of rural education will be discussed in this paper. In particular, this paper will address issues associated with demand and supply of rural educators, educators' development, cu ltural context of education, and rural education environment. It will also explore the future trend and channel possible course of actions for rural education, with measures to help ensure proper rural education, and safeguard against possible problems which may emanate from the rural educators. It will as well deal with the issue of creating an enabling environment for rural education. Secondary data would be examined and analysed for further recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholars and policymakers widely acknowledge the critical role of good governance in rural development and poverty reduction. Unfortunately, decades of good governance reforms have not reduced poverty in Nigeria. But what is good governance? The problem is that the working definition and popularized principles of good governance do not actually emanate from the poor. Moreover, there is a lack of contextualization of the concept of good governance within the Nigerian context. Rather, donors' institutional understanding is universalized through the imposition of a good governance agenda. This study aims to bridge this gap by examining the concept of good governance through the lens of rural communities in south-west Nigeria. Understanding good governance from the viewpoint of local citizens, who are the recipients of governance reforms, is vital for effective targeted reform. The study is based on the premise that communities possess a deep understanding of their own social circumstances and possess the capacity to express their unique insights. Employing Participatory Action Research (PAR) and qualitative methods like semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions, the research engaged a purposively selected sample from three rural communities in south-west Nigeria. The findings revealed that, for these communities, good governance primarily involves the government's ability to meet basic needs and provide welfare-enhancing infrastructure. Conversely, bad governance is characterized by declining welfare, economic hardship, and inadequate infrastructure. Interestingly, participants did not prioritize reforms like regular elections or anti-corruption measures as core attributes of good governance, although they did not oppose these aspects. This study underscores the need to incorporate the perspectives of local citizens in defining good governance, allowing for homegrown solutions that might offer quicker and cost-effective strategies for development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advent of democratic in 1999, couple with the 1999 constitutional provisions empowered States to control Local government finances; these have brought about the abuse of the fiscal autonomy of the local governments and the subversion of the capacity of that tier of government to perform its duties. The main thrust of this paper then is to investigate how fiscal federalism in Cross River State affects Akamkpa local government fiscal autonomy and its adverse implications on sustainable development in the rural areas. The study is a content analysis: Data for the study was generated from secondary sources. The study is anchored on the systems theory by David Easton (1965). The findings show that the absent of fiscal Federalism and autonomy in the Local Government has brought consequential affect on sustainable development in the rural areas. The researcher thus recommends that the provision in the constitution for state joint account should be amended to allow local governments have direct access to their statutory allocations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the importance of food for both economic and political reasons, why do governments respond differently to food crises? To answer this question, this article assesses the politics of state responses to food crises in Indonesia and Nigeria in the 1960s and 1970s. Using the state‐in‐society approach to politics, this research finds that variation in state–society conflicts explains the differences in Indonesia's and Nigeria's responses to the food crises. Conflicts between the state and urban workers led Nigeria to align its food policies with the need to contain urban workers' grievances, while in Indonesia conflicts between peasants and the state led the government to align its food policies with rural development to raise food production and eliminate the source of rural threats. State responses to food crises are therefore context‐dependent policies, deeply influenced by the salient form of state–society conflicts. Related Articles: Asare‐Nuamah, Peter, Anthony Amoah, and Simplice A. Asongu. 2023. "Achieving Food Security in Ghana: Does Governance Matter?" Politics & Policy, Early View. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12540. Ayanoore, Ishmael, and Sam Hickey. 2022. "Reframing the Politics of Natural Resource Governance in Africa: Insights from the Local Content Legislation Process in Ghana." Politics & Policy 50(1): 119–36. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12449. Oehmke, James F., Sera L. Young, Godfrey Bahiigwa, Boaz Blackie Keizire, and Lori Ann Post. 2018. "The Behavioral‐Economics Basis of Mutual Accountability to Achieve Food Security." Politics & Policy 46(1): 32–57. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12244. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Inadequate coordination mechanisms and capacity to coordinate are limiting factors for maximizing the ability of agriculture to improve nutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa. Effective coordination requires the availability of a platform for stakeholder convening, planning, operationalization of ideas, communication, and accountability. Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development established one such platform to support the institutionalization of nutrition-sensitive agriculture. Platform members include several departments within the Ministry, other ministries, and development partners. While the platform achieved key milestones and fostered collaboration, some gaps remained. Objective: This study reports an assessment to understand the perspectives of members of the coordination platform and identify ways of increasing effectiveness. Methods: Desk reviews of relevant documents and 18 key informant interviews were conducted. Documents and interview notes were coded and analysed to identify recurring themes. Themes were appraised using a nutrition coordination framework. Results: Sufficiently understanding the nutrition role of representatives' own organization/department and the purpose of the coordination platform and its activities was important for success. The profile and seniority of representing officers also mattered. While the leadership of the Ministry was committed to advancing nutrition through agriculture, the coordination platform could improve its functionality through consistent leadership, increased seniority of member representatives, and appropriate communication. Conclusions: Multisectoral coordination platforms are necessary but do not alone achieve nutrition coordination. Effective leadership and investments in time, strategic orientation, and training are critical to achieving a shared purpose, individual sector fulfilment of nutrition roles, and additional coordination success factors. Plain language title: Needed Factors for Facilitating Collaboration to Ensure Integration of Nutrition Into Agricultural Interventions Plain language summary: Improving nutrition through the agriculture sector requires collaboration among various departments and stakeholders within the sector and with other sectors that provide complementary services, such as the water and health sectors. Effective collaboration requires a platform through which involved stakeholders can discuss and reach agreements on actions that need to be taken. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in Nigeria established such a platform as part of efforts to address malnutrition. However, the platform did not seem to be adequately effective because the departments and stakeholders involved were not meeting frequently to discuss and limited collaboration was happening. This research interviewed stakeholders that attended meetings of the platform to identify suggestions for improving the use of the platform. The research found that there was strong interest to participate among all stakeholders, and the platform was useful for the Ministry to increase awareness and support for nutrition-sensitive agriculture. Still, the common vision around the platform's objectives, among the stakeholders involved was insufficiently articulated and communicated. Actions meeting attendees were required to take often differed from their departmental/organizational mandate and/or were not in their technical area of competence. Participating in activities related to the platform, therefore, increased the workload of its attendees. Furthermore, communication about the roles and expectations of the stakeholders involved in the platform was inadequate. The stakeholders additionally had inadequate clarity about the leadership of the platform. Guidance from a framework for nutrition coordination developed by other authors suggests that improving leadership; creating a shared understanding of the objectives of the platform among all stakeholders; increasing nutrition capacity among all organizations involved; and ensuring that involved organizations find the collaboration to be beneficial for their own mandate; will be important next steps for achieving the purpose of collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In response to calls to increase nutrition-sensitive agriculture (NSA), the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development developed the Nigeria Agricultural Sector Food Security and Nutrition Strategy 2016-2025 (AFSNS). Capacity development activities to facilitate the AFSNS implementation subsequently commenced. Objective: This study analyzed the processes and outputs of initial capacity development efforts, examined findings from the analysis using existing literature, and identified critical next steps for nutrition capacity development in the Nigerian agriculture sector. Methods: The study reviewed documents including a proposal for nutrition training of agriculture sector actors, reports of meetings held among 6 resource persons who designed and/or delivered training, training reports, participants' pre- and posttraining assessments, and participants' training evaluation. Interviews were conducted with 2 resource persons involved in training design and delivery. Documents and interviews were coded and analyzed to identify emergent themes. Participants' pre- and posttests results were compared using paired t test in Stata 12.0. Results: Knowledge and practice gaps were more extensive than had been anticipated. Training had some but limited effects on knowledge scores at the federal level. Modules addressing implementation practices had to be scaled down for participants to keep up with the learning pace. Existing literature indicates that such training would have been better planned as part of a broader sectoral nutrition workforce strategy, to facilitate greater tailoring of training to participants' job roles. Conclusion: Effective AFSNS implementation requires developing and operationalizing a comprehensive short-, medium- and long-term Agriculture Sector Nutrition Capacity Development Strategy for Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the contributions of public-Private partnership in Agriculture to grassroots development with emphasis on Shonga Farms' experience. The curiosity to conduct the study was predicated on the need to determine the viability of commercializing agriculture in developing country like Nigeria. The main objectives of the study are to evaluate the contributions of Shonga Farms to rural development in food supply, income generation, infrastructural development and employment generation in Shonga communities of Kwara State. In efforts toward achieving the above objectives, stakeholder's theory was adopted as a theoretical underpinning for the paper. Methodologically, the paper adopted a survey research design for data collection. Out of 204 questionnaire administered to selected respondents, 183 were completed and returned properly. Subsequently, descriptive statistics and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were adopted for the analysis of research questions and test of hypotheses. The findings of the study reveal that Shonga Farm has significantly increased the capacity of employment generation, food production, income generation and infrastructural development in Shonga community. However, the inability to complete Kanji Dam irrigation project made it difficult for the company to farm during the dry seasons. Overall, the study recommended for a reduction in the high rate of tariff on imported farm equipment and inputs in order to enable Shonga Farms procure high quality inputs such as: seeds, fertilizers, herbicides and machineries. The Central Bank of Nigeria and Nigeria Agricultural Cooperative and Rural Development Bank should come to the aid of Shonga Farm by ensuring speedy completion of Kanji Dam irrigation project to encourage all round farming throughout the year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a feasibility analysis of the technical, environmental, and economic sustainability of an existing mini-grid technology system in Nigeria. The study investigates the cost and other operational parameters of the Gbamu-Gbamu solar–battery–diesel hybrid mini-grid, specifically the 85 kWp solar PV installation in the Ijebu East Local Government area of Ogun state. Situated within the Owo forest in South-West Nigeria, the mini-grid aims to reduce the effects of global warming and promote sustainable technological development in rural communities by increasing energy access through renewable sources. To assess the system's viability, this research utilized RETScreen Expert software to validate the techno-economic and environmental sustainability of the installed mini-grid solar–PV–battery–diesel system in the region. Climatic data for the study were obtained from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The results demonstrate that the system is economically feasible and environmentally viable, as indicated by the positive net present value (NPV) and an average monthly irradiance of 4.78 kW/h/m2. Furthermore, the system achieved a 92.9% reduction in GHG emissions, provided a reasonable payback period of four years, and enabled a yearly electricity export of 203 MWh. These findings highlight the system's potential to enhance energy access and mitigate climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of rural areas is expected to be holistic covering all essential infrastructure. Community information centres (CICs) are agencies that should be part of the infrastructures for rural development. Unfortunately, these centres are hardly seen in rural communities in Nigeria, including Afikpo in Ebonyi State. Thus, this study was conceived to explore the perceptions of citizens towards the establishment of CICs in the locality. It adopted survey research method with questionnaire as instrument for data collection, which was self-developed and validated by experts with a pre-texted reliability index of 0.72. A total of 399 copies of the questionnaire were distributed, out of which 267 copies were properly completed, representing 67% and were used for analysis. Findings revealed that the citizens have overall positive perception towards establishing the CICs; they are also knowledgeable of the benefits of such centres. Furthermore, there are workable suggestions on ways of establishing, funding and managing CICs in Afikpo. In addition, about 65% of the respondents indicated interest to assist and support the funding and management of the CICs when established. However, the challenges of inadequate funding and support as well as the possible politics of where to site/locate the CICs in Afikpo, are likely impediments to the project. The study concluded that citizens have strong and positive disposition towards establishing CICs in Afikpo. The implications of such CICs for technological innovations were analysed. The study recommends, among others, that government should see the establishment of CICs as priority projects that would significantly contribute to the growth and development of rural communities in Nigeria; communities in Afikpo should explore self-help approach to development; and political representatives from Afikpo should take advantage of establishing CICs as constituency projects for the citizens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of rural areas is expected to be holistic covering all essential infrastructure. Community information centres (CICs) are agencies that should be part of the infrastructures for rural development. Unfortunately, these centres are hardly seen in rural communities in Nigeria, including Afikpo in Ebonyi State. Thus, this study was conceived to explore the perceptions of citizens towards the establishment of CICs in the locality. It adopted survey research method with questionnaire as instrument for data collection, which was self-developed and validated by experts with a pre-texted reliability index of 0.72. A total of 399 copies of the questionnaire were distributed, out of which 267 copies were properly completed, representing 67% and were used for analysis. Findings revealed that the citizens have overall positive perception towards establishing the CICs; they are also knowledgeable of the benefits of such centres. Furthermore, there are workable suggestions on ways of establishing, funding and managing CICs in Afikpo. In addition, about 65% of the respondents indicated interest to assist and support the funding and management of the CICs when established. However, the challenges of inadequate funding and support as well as the possible politics of where to site/locate the CICs in Afikpo, are likely impediments to the project. The study concluded that citizens have strong and positive disposition towards establishing CICs in Afikpo. The implications of such CICs for technological innovations were analysed. The study recommends, among others, that government should see the establishment of CICs as priority projects that would significantly contribute to the growth and development of rural communities in Nigeria; communities in Afikpo should explore self-help approach to development; and political representatives from Afikpo should take advantage of establishing CICs as constituency projects for the citizens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Boko-Haram insurgency has affected livelihoods in the Northeast in all ramifications. This study reviewed scholarly submissions on the drivers and impact of the insurgency in the area. The outcome of the review showed that the insurgency is driven mainly by poverty, religious extremism, and politics. Equally, the insurgency has affected rural livelihoods entirely and has exacerbated food insecurity, unemployment, and poverty. This is because critical infrastructure like schools, hospitals, markets, and electricity/telecommunication facilities have been largely destroyed, and residents of some communities are still displaced. Hence, to better the livelihood of the people in communities where normalcy has been restored, there is the need to promote agriculture and trade by securing the communities and enhancing access to affordable agricultural inputs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines the threshold of the elitist theory and its underpinning application or relationship to rural under development within local government in Delta and Edo states of Nigeria. It is persuasive to averred that rural under development in Nigeria is not a news neither is it a scientific discovery because every nook and cranny of the areas speaks for itself in terms of all manners of human and capital under development that strongly persist or exist every where in the nation of Nigeria . Sad as it is Nigeria as a geographical entity is managed and control by government officials cadre that are broken down to the last level of government known as the local government which are hereby bequeathed with the cardinal responsibilities of rural management and development, yet it is not demeaning to state that these arm of government has outlived their usefulness due to so many factors amongst which is the sterile officials that make up the crop of the elite who could be regarded as the steering men of governance that has turn their subjective aspirations, desires and wills into the annals of governance instead of an objective desires that comes out of the local communities who are supposed to be at the center of it all. This state of affairs underscores the perpetual reasons behind the uncontrollable industry and super structure of underdevelopment created by these officials over the successive years of governance nationwide especially in Delta and Edo state as the area of analysis. The study made some salient recommendations among which are the idea of community development in concept and context should be popularized in our local communities so that people can also take responsibility of the development of their community serious however it is or look like, as it has always being argued that local government, laws should be repeal to tame the overwhelming influence of the elite against the system, laws enacted should be practice to the letter, the public information act should be effective for people to know when to hold government accountable as far as governance is concerned [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study looked at the relationship and impact of rural women empowerment and rural development in Nigeria's south-south geopolitical zone. A cross-sectional research design was used, and data was gathered through a survey of 750 people using a non-probability sampling technique. 476 of the 750 questionnaires distributed were retrieved and analyzed. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 23 was used to analyze data collected using percentages, Pearson product moment correlation, and linear regression analysis. The study's findings revealed a significant relationship between rural women empowerment and rural development in Nigeria's south-south geopolitical zone. The study also found that rural women empowerment has a positive and statistically significant impact on rural development in Nigeria's south-south geopolitical zone. Based on these findings, the study suggests, among other things, that government empowerment policies should always take the female gender into account for necessary upliftment, as this will help to improve their status and rural development in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the impact of rural sociology on rural development in selected rural communities in Delta State, Nigeria's Ethiope East Local Government Area. A total of 400 rural dwellers were chosen at random from a population of 362,753 in Ethiope East, Delta State, Nigeria. Out of the 400 copies distributed, 287 were retrieved and analyzed, yielding a response rate of 71.75 percent. Statistical package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23 was used to analyze data collected using percentage, Spearman's Correlation, and linear regression analysis. The findings revealed a strong link between rural sociology and rural development. The study also found that rural sociology has a positive and statistically significant impact on rural development in Delta State, Nigeria's Ethiope east local government area. We concluded that rural sociology has a significant impact on rural development based on our findings. The study thus recommends, among other things, that the Nigerian government hire rural sociologists to help implement effective rural policies and programmemes. This will help to stimulate the development of rural communities in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subject and purpose of the work: This study examined water accessibility challenges, and the implications on children in rural border communities of Nigeria. Materials and methods: Primary data were used, and children (5-16 years) were respondents to the interview and questionnaire. Results: The study revealed there were more male children (58%) than female children (42%) and many of them were in the age bracket 11–15 years with about (53.9%) of them without formal education. The results further revealed that 69.9% of the respondents indicated that their major source of water is a stream and river. Also, the majority of the respondents (71%) trek long distances and (82.9%) spend more than 30 minutes travelling to collect water in distant villages especially during the dry season. This situation usually takes them away from their education and even affect their school attendance. Conclusions: The study recommended the need for the equitable provision of an improved water supply and ensure children are secured in collecting water for their households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The socio-economic characteristics of individual and group have been found to significantly have an impact on their mobility and travel behaviour. Hence, this study examined the influence of socio-economic characteristics of households in the Rural areas of Nigeria on trip making. The study adopted the multi-stage sampling technique method where 12, 365 registered buildings were systematically selected out of a total of 28,341 buildings. Systematic sampling technique was used to survey 4 percent of households, representing 495 household heads of a total 12,365 registered buildings by means of questionnaire administration. The study revealed that majority of the respondents were between the age of 60–69 years and utilized the non-motorized (walk & bicycle) means of transport. The result of the multiple regression analysis further revealed that Age and Income were the significant socio-economic variables influencing trip making of households. This study thus advocates the influence of demographic attributes on households' travel behaviour. Therefore, rural communities should be given equal privilege as urban areas when formulating transport policies as a result of their unique and distinct socio-economic attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study examined the aged crop farmers' perception towards succession plan, determined the level of succession plan intention among the respondents, and revealed the factors influencing succession plan among aged crop farmers in rural communities. Research Method: A sample size of 192 aged crop farmers from the four agricultural zones who were above 60 years old were selected by means of multistage sampling procedure. Data were collected through structured interviewed method and summarised using appropriate statistics. Findings: Results revealed respondents' mean age as 75.14±9.76 year, with majority being male (86.5%) and married (72.4%) respectively. Furthermore, the respondents' mean of farming experience was 50.02±14.79. It was established that 79.2 percent of the respondents had a succession plan and there was a low succession plan intention. The factors associated with the succession plan at p≤0.05 were farming experience (β = 0.485), household size (β = 0.330), perception (β = 0.402) and life after retirement from farming (β = 0.183). Research Limitation: The study did not interview all the aged crop farmers in the study area due to limited resources. Originality/Value: The study provides an insight to factors associated with succession plan among aged crop farmers in order to ensure continuity in farm business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]