RURAL AGRO-BASED INDUSTRIES RURAL ECONOMY AND ENVIRONMENTAL STABILITY

Abstract

This study seeks to provide an overview of those economic social and environmental issues which could be relevant for sustainable development of the rural economy. Rural development is of great significance for the future of both the rural and urban area. We must reduce migration, create new jobs and focus on sustainability and the principles and goals of environmental protection and nature conservation. Rural economy is a complex and dynamic system, and agriculture should be treated as a part of it. The development of rural settlements and their infrastructure, the manifold exploitation of the agro ecological potential, the rationalization of farming remain, extremely important components of rural development.

 

 

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENT

Title page

Approval page

Dedication

Acknowledgment

Abstract

Table of content

CHAPTER ONE

1.0   INTRODUCTION

1.1        Background of the study

1.2        Statement of problem

1.3        Objective of the study

1.4        Research Hypotheses

1.5        Significance of the study

1.6        Scope and limitation of the study

1.7       Definition of terms

1.8       Organization of the study

CHAPETR TWO

2.0   LITERATURE REVIEW

CHAPETR THREE

3.0        Research methodology

3.1        sources of data collection

3.3        Population of the study

3.4        Sampling and sampling distribution

3.5        Validation of research instrument

3.6        Method of data analysis

CHAPTER FOUR

DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

4.1    Introductions

4.2    Data analysis

CHAPTER FIVE

5.1    Introduction

5.2    Summary

5.3    Conclusion

5.4    Recommendation

Appendix

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background of the study

Although sustainability, sustainable agriculture and sustainable agricultural systems have been defined several times at various levels, it is not advisable that we should impose a rigid definition of sustainable agriculture since countries and areas within countries work in different social, economic and ecological contexts. This remark should be kept in mind since it links nature to the development process and it highlights two significant aspects: the regional and the local aspect, meaning the specific area where the country lies, the group of countries to which the respective country belongs (advanced countries or countries under development) and the time-related aspect, meaning the stage reached by the economic development and the economic vulnerability. Following the imbalance of the development factors, the structural adjustment policies and the long term objectives are based on these two aspects. According to Conway cited by Sumelius, the performance of an agro-ecosystem can be defined by four elements: productivity – the ratio between the output and the input resource unit (expressed by profit, by the income per hectare, by the total household or by the regional production etc); stability – stable productivity of the agro-ecosystem maintained when facing obstacles in the normal cycles and fluctuations of the environment; stability can be measured, for instance, by the productivity variation parameter over a certain time; durability – defined as the ability of an agro-ecosystem to preserve its productivity when facing stress or shocks; stress is defined as predictable deviating forces of low importance but rather frequent and having a high cumulative effect ( e.g.: salinity, land erosion, pollution, low market demand etc); the shock can be defined as an unpredictable, rare force of high importance and having an immediate effect (e.g.: draught, floods, new diseases, high input prices etc); equitability – a unified distribution of the productivity of the agro-ecosystem between the beneficiaries. Apart from the protection of the environment, all definitions of sustainable agriculture shall include the human dimension with its two key components: farmers (some of them already make use of advanced technologies to perform sustainable agriculture and others will do sustainable agriculture unless it can be done without significant loss and if they have access to information and technologies typical of this kind of agriculture) and consumers (whose demand in ecological food products is admitted by all parties involved; they shall be informed about the overall costs of the agricultural products produced with intensive agriculture, given the absence on the market of accurate values that may reveal the hidden ecological costs). Regarding the human dimension, special attention shall be paid to marketing systems that may highly encourage or discourage sustainable agriculture. Achieving a sustainable agriculture is a long term process and, in addition, it is very difficult to achieve it since there are many contradictions and obstacles preventing the implementation of specific practices and technologies. The information exchanged between consumers and productions is often hidden; consequently, farmers respond to signals of prices that do not fully reflect social costs of the natural resources. In many countries, the result has been the apparition of an agricultural community lacking the flexibility needed to positively respond to various agricultural technologies. umuomaku, orumba south, future success mainly depends on the adequate use of the potentials of rural areas, the development and vitalization of rural economy and appropriate regional policies. The full exploitation of natural resources and the maintenance of workplaces in the country are remarkably important in order to fulfil the economic, ecologic and social functions of rural areas. The conception of the sustainable development of rural economy requires a multidisciplinary and multiple objective approach which can only be expanded with the consideration of an extremely complex activity range. The impacts of the global financial crisis on Anambra state imply further difficulties, as the inhabitants of rural areas can only consider over survival, because of their initial long lasting detrimental situation. Migration from rural areas has been more and more intense over the past decade. The majority of people presumably leave because of the lack of job opportunities and in the expectation of employment and better subsistence. From this point of view, there has been a positive change in the middle and at the western part of the country. On the other hand migration is more and more disadvantageous in umuomaku, orumba south, Anambra state. The significance of rural development is appreciated by the rural community, so the pecuniary assistance is more emphasised in the field of rural development than it is agriculture production. Agriculture and agribusiness are handled in a multifunctional context, where along with the production, environmental protection, the capability of population stability, the preservation of cultural heritage and sustainable development all have equal roles. Sustainability cannot be separated from the barriers of growth. The Earth is finite and no growth can last forever. The boundaries of expansion are given by the continuous stream of energy and substance needed for the living conditions of the population. We cannot exceed the productive and absorptive capacity of the world in the course of extracting resources and emitting waste (Meadows el al. 2004). Since it is a concept with a broad definition, the main dimensions of the sustainable agriculture are: the time-related dimension, implying continuous protection and conservation of the land throughout the centuries, aiming at long term objectives; social sustainability – it is considered that the family farm and the traditional rural community shall last in time, despite changes of the agricultural economy; economic sustainability – it is considered that agriculture shall stay viable from the economic point of view, in the long run; focus is placed on the biological agriculture and diversification; land conservation and conservation of the genetic resources (a diversified gene bank appears as a necessary „buffer” in order to ensure long term survival); lower pollution of the environment; modification of the ratio man/land area triggers an increased demand in clean water and fewer chemical substances in the environment; reduction of industrial input (fertilizers, pesticides etc); a long term sustainable agricultural growth (the best way to meet human needs in terms of food and fibers)

• STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Agriculture is faced with fundamental changes. Human population growth, improved incomes and shifting dietary patterns are increasing the demand for food and other agricultural products. At the same time, however, the natural resource base underpinning agricultural production is under threat, with growing threats to genetic diversity and the degradation of land and water resources. Agriculture improves food security in many ways, most fundamentally by increasing the amount of food but also by providing the means to purchase food. Through growth in agricultural productivity and higher farm profits, the rural poor can generate additional income to purchase more food, including more diverse kinds of food. It is in view of the above that the researcher intend to investigate the contribution of rural agro-based industry contribution to economic and environmental stability in the study area.

• OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The main objective of the study is to examine the contribution of rural agro based industries rural economy and environmental stability; but in the cause of the study, the researcher intends to achieve the following specific objectives;

1. To examine the impact of rural agro-based industry in attaining environmental stability
2. To examine the effect of rural agro-based industries in the development of rural economy

• To ascertain if there is any relationship between rural based agro industries and environmental stability

1. To ascertain if there is any relationship between rural based agro industries and rural economic growth
   • RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

The following research hypotheses were formulated by the researcher to aid the completion of the study;

H₀: rural agro-based industry does not have any impact in attaining environmental stability

H₁: rural agro-based industry does have an impact in attaining environmental stability

H₀: there is no significant relationship between rural based agro industries and rural economic growth

H₂: there is a significant relationship between rural based agro industries and rural economic growth

• SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

It is believed that at the completion of the study, the findings will be of great importance to the Anambra state ministry of agriculture, as the study will aid them in policy formulation and in the establishment of rural agro based industry to foster economic activity, stability and growth in the rural area. The study will also be of importance to entrepreneur; to take advantage of the tremendous availability of raw materials in the study area to set up their businesses in the study area; as this will curb their expenses and enhanced profitability. The study will also be of importance to researchers who intend to embark on a study in a similar topic as the findings will serve as a reference point to further studies. Finally, the study will be of great importance to students, teachers, academia’s and the general public as the study will add to the pool of existing literature on the subject matter and also contribute to knowledge.

• SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The scope of the study covers rural agro-based industries /rural economy and environmental stability, A case study of umuomaku, orumba south, Anambra stat; but in the cause of the study, there are some factors that limited the scope of the study;

(a)Availability of research material: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study.

(b)Time: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.

(c)Finance: The finance available for the research work does not allow for wider coverage as resources are very limited as the researcher has other academic bills to cover.

1.7 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS

 

Agro based industry

Agro-based industry, thus have a great potential to influence positive economic development through contributing to the enhancement of the economy of the farmers. Agro based industry refers to the subset of manufacturing that processes raw materials and intermediate products derived from the agricultural sector

Rural area

In general, a rural area or countryside is a geographic area that is located outside towns and cities.

Environmental stability

Environmental stability or sustainability is a state in which the demands placed on the environment can be met without reducing its capacity to allow all people to live well, now and in the future

Rural economy

Rural economics is the study of rural economies, including: farm and non-farm industry. Economic growth, development, and change. size and spatial distribution of production and household units and interregional trade.

ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY

This research work is organized in five chapters for easy understanding as follows Chapter one is concern with the introduction which consist of the (overview, of the study), statement of problem, objectives of the study, research question, significance or the study, research methodology, definition of terms and historical background of the study. Chapter two highlights the theoretical framework on which the study it’s based thus the review of related literature. Chapter three deals on the research design and methodology adopted in the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding.  Chapter five gives summary, conclusion and recommendations made of the study.

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