Bottom-up policies to boost agriculture and forestry conditions, therefore, are an important first line of action. Subsidizing cultivation costs; seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and other inputs to improve farming conditions and yields should be considered
Nigeria is one of the most difficult countries to live in, consistently scoring low on the most important life quality metrics/indices. Although socio-economic conditions are dismal in the rural areas and the so-called urban centers alike, the situation in the rural areas is much worse, typified by unimaginably brutal living conditions and overall poor life prospects. The rural-urban divide therefore continues to widen, driven by survival rather than by opportunity. Poverty is evidently one major influencer of migration, but biased policy and political attention is another important issue. Whether inspired by genuine intent, or the more common hypocritical scramble to impress and attract votes, when our political leaders (incumbent or aspiring) get round to doing anything useful, the capital or other major cities are usually the beneficiaries. In the more formal scheme of things, the bulk of government funding, private investment and even research goes to the big cities. Other factors such as poor and fraudulent land management, which has displaced farmers, pushing some into the agrarian underclass have also stimulated rural depopulation. The repercussions have been dire including social degradation, significant agricultural distress (albeit poorly characterized) and ‘slumification’ of urban centers. The young especiallyhave relocated in droves creating a professional and mental chasm, which has made it virtually impossible to replace local doctors, other health workers, teachers and business personnel whom have retired, in recent past. Withering rural populations also mean labour shortages and fragmented families. In the case of agricultural families, this has disrupted knowledge transfer from one generation to another, a problem aggravated by inadequate support and resources as well as climate-change related circumstances generating significant agrarian stress and a stunted agricultural sector. Slums in cities such as Port Harcourt and Lagosare expanding rapidly and uncontrollably as poor and uneducated rural workers relocate in pursuit of better life prospects. Many of these migrants undertake mostly unskilled, informal, manual jobs such as cleaning, security and construction work. This largely ignored migration trend also strains the already weak infrastructural amenities, public services and social welfare in the mostly poorly planned cities.Needless to say, social vices have climbed to dangerously high levels.
Sustainable rural development is vital to Nigeria’s overall economic, social, cultural and environmental viability and is indeed possible. One crucial issue, central to achieving any useful output, is the attitude of Nigerians, especially the so-called elites. It baffles me that seemingly educated, even sophisticated, well-meaning Nigerians continue to tolerate the mediocrity and mendacity of the political class. In the past, we have been bamboozled by some of these knaves, who set up, with so much fanfare, bogus, hypocritical policies, doomed to fail from the outset. For instance, do we not know that putting individuals who know absolutely nothing about farming or land matters and agricultural production in charge of rural agricultural schemes is a sham? Henceforth, we need to resist such duplicitous tendencies. Government officials and their collaborators have to demonstrate dedication and genuine interest in rural issues. Local governments, set up purportedly to bring the government closer to the people have been mostly irresponsible and dysfunctional. Ministries, institutes and enterprises created specifically to solve rural-related problems, some of whom receive financial support from international organizations, but shun their obligations, are no exception. We have to task them on delivering on some of their responsibilities.
Improving infrastructure, investment in public health and education, developing local resources and cultivating tourism, special products and crafts are some potentially useful strategies. Subsidies for setting up or relocating industries and other commercial ventures,as well as otherstrategies for attracting businessesshould also be explored. Unemployment is a national crisis and it will take several years of sustainable, meaningful development for rural areas to be capable of providing employment opportunities. However, agriculture is an important alternative, which, if approached with the desired industrious seriousness, can yield significant benefits. Fundamentally, it will address food shortages and our burgeoning food insecurity crisis and will keep a substantial proportion of the population, gainfully employed.
Bottom-up policies to boost agriculture and forestry conditions, therefore, are an important first line of action. Subsidizing cultivation costs; seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and other inputs to improve farming conditions and yields should be considered. Resolution of land disputes and other poverty-triggered conflicts, appropriate land attribution and land consolidation are an absolute necessity. Projects to enhance soil fertility, manage flooding and prevent disasters are research proven and empirically verified strategies, which have boosted agricultural yields and incomes in several other developing countries. Although research is poorly funded through the entire Country, rural issues are much less studied than urban ones. The right incentives for academics and other experts to explore pertinent rural issues and offer solutions to local problemsshould be provided. It is important to note that rural towns and villages are not all the same and initiatives have to fully consider the peculiarities of respective rural communities. Lastly, rural areas must be developed for locals and not investors, the main goal of all initiatives, therefore, must be to improve rural livelihoods. Even though Nigeria has numerous other challenges and apparent scant resources to tackle them, rural development should be treated as a priority, not an afterthought and certainly not a politicking tool. Rural and urban areas are an organic whole, and both should be developed sustainably to support each other.
