AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGER STATE: WHAT ROLE CAN RESIDENT UNIVERSITIES PLAY?

Abstract

Studies have raised many mind bungling issues as to the reason why agriculture has yet to manifest all the great things that were prophesised by its proponents in terms of national development. It is a fact that the recent decade has been one of agrooptimism just like in the 70s, upon all the promises that agricultural development seems to hold none is yet to come past. It was hoped in the Sub-Saharan Africa that economic development would be brought about by agricultural development. Unfortunately, this optimism is yet to be realized and hope has never been materialized and agricultural productivity did not increase much in Sub-Saharan Africa. This paper argues that universities have a direct role to play in the socio-development of the agrarian communities, particularly in Niger State and in Nigeria in general, if agricultural development is to be informed knowledge-wise. In this context, the relationship between universities and rural community development must be of important concern. In this regard, this paper elaborates on the role of universities in modern agrarian society development and discusses some possibilities in poverty alleviation, illiteracy reduction, environmental management, teaching and research activities by which they could increase their contribution to the agrarian society and socio-economic development of Niger State and Nigeria as a whole. This paper concludes by suggesting strategies whereby the three wings of the university – extension, teaching and research – can be geared towards the purpose of uplifting the society in which they are situated.