Rural Development and Seeds in Plateau State

Abstract

Rural development has been one of the most serious and prolonged issues confronting Nigeria since independence. Over the years, development in Nigeria as a process and phenomenon has been a major focus of discourse and debate among various actors and vested interests. Like any other nation of the world, Nigeria's ultimate desire and especially Plateau State is to experience a kind of transformation of the polity and citizens. In spite of the various efforts, access to basic human needs-education. Potable water, health care, and sanitation are far less available in the rural areas. This state of affairs has triggered a number of negative reactions-low level of literacy, high rate of maternal and infant mortality, rural migration of youth, prevalence of diseases among others. The desire to arrest these problems prompted Plateau State to adopt a new vision called Plateau State Economic Empowerment and development Strategy (PLASEEDS) as a way of developing the state including its rural areas. This research project looks at past rural development efforts and their impacts on rural dwellers. It also examines the challenges that confronted rural development in the State and examines how PLASEEDS as a new development strategy will transform the lives and environment of the rural areas as clearly spelt out in the objectives. The methodology adopted for the study involves the use of both secondary and primary data. Through Library based research, secondary data and other documents were obtained. For the primary data, two types of techniques were used-indepth interview and Focus Group Discussions (FGD). An indepth interview was conducted with some institutions, organisations and communities and their responses obtained. The findings of the study shows that Plateau State has a very large population of rural communities and are characterised by lack of or inadequate infrastructure and basic needs such as education, potable water, health care and sanitation. It was also discovered that most rural dwellers who are basically farmers are poor. That previous efforts by governments to develop the rural areas of the state have been constrained by inadequate funding. In the light of the foregoing, the study recommend among others that to ensure the success and sustainability of SEEDS programme in the state, the document be given legal backing with a Bill submitted by the Executive to the Plateau State House of Assembly. We also recommend that due to the apparent ignorance of SEEDS and its objectives among the rural dwellers, government should embark on a campaign of awareness and sensitisation of the rural populace and other stakeholders as a prelude to involving them in the implementation of the vision.