Rural Development and Environmental Protection in Nigeria

Abstract

This study examines rural development and environmental protection in Nigeria. It assesses specifically the natural occurrences and human activities such as rainfall, agriculture, mining, quarrying, lumbering, and water derivation from the subterranean interstices which degrade the rural environment owing to negligence of acceptable ecological principles and eco-development paradigm by the rural development agencies. It observes that inadequate resource data for planning, careless resource extraction and refinement, dumping of wastes into the ecosystems, heavy rainfall, absence of environmental scientists, inadequate funds and suitable technology, and poor community participation in rural construction activities contribute to environmental deterioration in Nigeria. Adequate resource inventory for planning, environmental impact assessment, scientific agricultural practices, forest regeneration and reforestation programs, sanitation of ecosystems, education of the rural people, and utilization of climate information, suitable technology and experts’ services in construction activities should be carried out by the rural development agencies to reverse these trends and ensure effective rural environmental protection in Nigeria.

Keywords: Rural Development, Human Activities, Environment, Degradation, Protection.