INTEGRATED RURAL DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH GROUP ( IRDRG )

University of Nigeria, Nsukka
INTEGRATED RURAL DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH  GROUP ( IRDRG )
The research group is an interdisciplinary group of the Centre for Rural Development and Cooperatives of the University,focusing on the rural sector and the concerns for rural development.
MANDATE/OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the group are to:
Improve farming services and overall rural sector through research ,documentation and publications;
serve as aforum for attracting scholars from within and outside Nigeria,especially those who are interested in working on rural problems affecting Nigeria in particular and Africa in general;
undertake short and long term training programmes for staff of ministries,public corporations,banks,small scale industries and other organization;
conduct feasibility studies on agribusiness,rural development and cooperatives and development of business corporate plans;
organize conference, seminars, workshops and field days in various aspects of agricultural and rural development;
engage  in collaborative research with institutions within and outside Nigeria which are interested in similar problems:research focus of the group is on family/farm level structures,market problems, project evaluation, policy analysis, etc.; and
find  publication channels to disseminate its findings in bulletins, journals, monographs, and books.
OUR APPROACH
To achieve the stated objectives, the group adopts an interdisciplinary approach. Thus, in its research and training activities the group utilizes its own staff and staff of the departments in the faculty of agriculture as well as those of the departments in the university.
AREA OF INTERVENTION
Helping rural dwellers to meet basic needs and acquire products for daily needs
Training artisans and small scale producers especially in the informal sector
Encouraging the use of local materials and resources and further development of traditional skills and production processes
Amelioration of poverty amongst the rural dwellers
Improving rural health delivery systems
RESEARCH ACTIVITIES/RESEARCH AREAS
Rural credit delivery institutions’ systems, problems, achievements and prospects;
Environmental sustainability and related issues;
Rural health care delivery systems effects, gaps, ways forward;
Strategies for poverty reduction and wealth creation;
Strategies for rural industrialization;
Cooperatives business management strategies;
Strategies for sustainable rural institution building;
Strategies for rural social mobilization and empowerment;
Rural – urban linkages; and
Preparation of concept papers/proposal for funding
 
The group consists of the following members:
 
1. C.J. Arene Professor Coordinator PhD Agricultural Economics.
2. A.A. Enete Senior Lecturer Member PhD Agricultural Economics
3. A.N. Onyekuru Senior Lecturer Member PhD Agricultural Economics
4. C. Ugwu Lecturer 11 Member M.Sc Sociology and Anthropology
5. R. Arua Lecturer II Member M.sc Agricultural Economics
6. A.P. Nnaji Assistant Lecturer Member M.Sc Agricultural Economics
7. O.I. Ogbonna Assistant Lecturer Member M.Sc Agricultural Extension
8. E.J. Ihemezie Graduate Assistant B.Agric Agricultural Economics
9. C. Ogbodo Graduate Assistant Member B.Sc Geography
10. C.M. Ifiorah Graduate Assistant Member B.Agric Agricultural Economics
 
 
 
Contact/Mailing address
Director, Centre for Rural Development and Cooperatives (CRDC), University of Nigeria,Nsukka, Nigeria
E-mail-: cJarene@yahoo.com;
chiakatony@yahoo.com
rdc.centre@unn.edu.ng
Website: www.unn.edu.ng/crdc