Perspective on Beneficiaries’ Experiences of Participation in Community-Based Agriculture and Rural Development Program in Guba, Northern Nigeria

The objective of this paper is to explore beneficiaries‟ experiences on participation in the on-going International Fund for Agriculture Development / Community-based agriculture and rural development program (IFAD/CBARDP) among farmers in Guba community in Northern Nigeria. The paper illustrates beneficiaries‟ experiences on how they are participating and the factors that motivated their participation in the program using qualitative research methods of data collection and analysis. Data for the study was collected from eight key informants purposely selected as being participants of the program. Although, theoretically, participation entails the full involvement of beneficiaries in all the stages of the development process, findings of the study revealed that beneficiaries‟ participation in the program was only evident in some stages of the development cycle. Several factors were found to have motivated beneficiaries‟ participation in the program but the desire for meeting tangible material benefits featured above all other considerations. However, group leadership style, workshops and seminars, the approach adopted in the program, the officials / beneficiaries relationship and the publicity accorded to the program were found to have motivated beneficiaries‟ participation as well. At the end, the paper recommended the active and full involvement of beneficiaries in future development initiatives in order to achieve sustainable rural development programs.