Experiences of beneficiaries' participating in community-based agriculture and rural development programs in Guba, Nigeria

This study explored beneficiaries’ experiences on participation in Community-based Agriculture and Rural Development program. Nigeria had from 1977-1999 implemented no fewer than five (5) anti poverty programs. In spite of the series of programs and huge expenditure, the scourge of poverty is increasing. Although, previous studies in Tanzania, Mongolia and Ghana have attributed lack of beneficiaries’ participation in the development process as one of the major causes of failure of development programs to empower people, none has yet focused on Nigeria. In order to gain insights on beneficiaries’ participation in the International Fund for Agriculture Development assisted Community-Based Agriculture and Rural Development Program (IFAD/CBARDP) this study explored the past experiences of beneficiaries in development process, how beneficiaries perceived and interpreted participation, how beneficiaries have participated in the program and what motivated them into participation. Using qualitative approach with a single case study focusing on Guba farmers, primary data for the study was mainly collected through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions; semi-structured questions were used with the aid of interview guide. Eleven (11) farmers participating in the program as beneficiaries participated in the study as key informants. The desire to capture in-depth information on beneficiaries’ experiences on participation in the program, not only informed the purposive selection of informants but the study methodology as well. The major findings of the study have been categorized to reflect the four research objectives. It was found that beneficiaries lacked previous experiences of participation in development process. Although there were different interpretations of participation among beneficiaries, the notion of participation as a process in which beneficiaries contribute labor and other resources in return for tangible material benefits appears dominants. Similarly, beneficiaries understood their participation in terms of consultations with development officials and beneficiaries’ contributions in the development process. Moreover, beneficiaries were found to have been motivated into participation by several factors, but the desire to meet tangible material benefits stood above all other considerations. The study concluded that whilst participation was conceived and interpreted by beneficiaries to mean the process of meeting tangible material benefits, sharply contrasted the objective of the program to empower rural communities to manage their own future development. Beneficiary participation turns out to be ‘passive’ which does not ensure sustained empowerment. The need for involving beneficiaries at all the stages of future development process therefore, becomes imperative in order to empower beneficiaries to manage their own development. The study also suggested that policymakers and program designers should ensure the incorporation of contexts and histories when designing future development programs in order to achieve sustained empowerment of communities.

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