An Evaluation of the Strategies of Rural Development Programmes in Plateau State 1999-2010

Abstract

This work evaluates the strategies of programmes implementation in Plateau State as they affect rural development between 1999 – 2010, using the three selected rural development agencies in Plateau State (the Plateau State Director Labour Agency, Plateau State Agricultural and Rural Development Programme, and Plateau State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency) as case study. This was done through the following methodology. The purposive sampling technique was used to select the respondents who responded to the questionnaire administered. Interviews were used to collect information from the general managers of the selected rural development agencies. Information were also collected from the files, records and mission statements of the three selected rural development agencies in Plateau State, identified for the purpose of this research. The data collected were analyzed using simple percentage tables and the chi-square statistic was used in testing the research hypotheses. The work came out with the following findings: (i) that the state allocations to rural development in the yearly budget is not up to 1% of the total budget, (ii) that the beneficiaries of rural development are not involved in programmes initiation and implementation in Plateau State, (iii) that the three selected rural development agencies have not impacted positively on rural development in Plateau State. The research made the following recommendations based on the findings; that for effective performance of the study agencies, the beneficiaries should be involved at every stage of the programme(s). There should be the involvement of beneficiaries of rural development programmes in the process of programmes initiation/conception and implementation. There should be an agency on rural development, with a trust-fund contributed by the state, local governments and donor agencies in order to increase the rate of rural development in the state. The agency on rural development should be located and coordinated from the Governor’s office to ensure that all communities are reached. The research concluded that in view of the failure of the Top-down approach to rural development in the state, the Bottom-up approach be adopted. This is so because the Bottom-up approach is people centred, democratic, and representative of the interest of the beneficiaries of rural development in their own affairs.