SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, POVERTY REDUCTION AND ENHANCED LIVELIHOOD: A THREE-STEP APPROACH TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The majority of the population in most third world countries resides in the rural areas where farming is the predominant occupation. This study interrogated the extent to which sustainable agricultural practices can transform a rural farm population from one that is essentially poor to a vibrant semi-urban population whose standard of living is greatly enhanced in terms of income generation, access to basic necessities of life, education, sanitation, etc. Data was sourced from secondary materials which include books, magazines, journals, periodicals, newspapers, the internet, etc. the neoclassical theory of a linear closes system (Pearce, 1972) was adopted as the theoretical framework while the mode of content analysis employed as the tool of analysis revealed that a sustained agricultural practice can facilitate the process of poverty alleviation, improve the general welfare/living standard of the citizens and enhance the attainment of sustainable development in Nigeria. Government is therefore, advised to make greater effort at boosting sustainable agricultural practices as an avenue of facilitating sustainable development in the country.