Situational assessment of rural and agricultural development projects of the University of Agriculture, Makurdi and its host community

Abstract

A survey was conducted to assess the present status of rural and agricultural development projects of the University of Agriculture Makurdi and its host community. The population of this study consisted of all students, staffs and members of the host community. Due to the enormity of this population, 150 respondents were selected using purposive and simple random sampling techniques. The data for this study were collected from primary and secondary sources. The primary data were collected with the use of a well structured questionnaire alongside interview techniques. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency distribution, percentages, mean as well as, inferential statistics such as factor analysis. The results obtained revealed that there were two major categories of factors affecting rural and agricultural development in the study area, namely, socio-economic cum cultural factors (Factor 1) and administrative cum infrastructural related factors (Factor 2). It was found that there was no single secondary school in the study area (0.00%). However, the following rural and agricultural development projects were found existing in the study area, Churches/mosque (17.16%), Primary Schools (17.00%) thrift societies or local banks (14.30%), ICT facilities (12.01%), pipe borne water (9.73%), health clinic (9.15%), postal agency (8.58%), maize/rice farms (11.05%), oil palm plantation (10.67%), cattle/sheep farms (10.29%, soyabean farm (9.91%), Poultry farm (9.53%) and fish ponds (9.15%). It was also found that there were no markets (0.00%) and commercial banks (0.00%) in the study area. It was recommended that the government and the private sector should endeavour to provide rural and agricultural infrastructural facilities such as marketing facilities, motorable roads/bridges, boreholes, secondary schools as well as commercial banks, feed mill and subsidized farm inputs. Finally, participatory administration and bilateral interpersonal communication should be adopted in conflicts resolution. Key words: Rural, agricultural, development, projects, host community.