Absolute Poverty Deterioration in Benue State: Rural People Oriented Coping Strategy DÉTÉRIORATION DE LA PAUVRETÉ ABSOLUE DANS L'ETAT DE BENUE: LA POPULATION RURALE S'EST ORIENTÉE SUR LA STRATÉGIE D'ADAPTATION

Abstract: Absolute poverty has been a social problem in rural Nigeria with its rate ever on the increase. All the previous government efforts in terms of poverty reduction projects and programmes failed to improve on the situation. In order to survive, the rural poor decided device survival strategies to cope with poverty. One of such strategies is the formulation of community based organizations (CBOs). The paper examines the nature, activities and impact of the CBOs on the rural poor. The CBOs were able to minimally mobilize both human and material resources, established both primary and secondary schools, built cottage industries, constructed culverts and bridges, established community health clinics, local financial institutions, donation of relief materials contributed food and cloths to less-privileged, widows and orphans. The CBOS are handicapped due to certain problems such as lack of adequate funds, corruption, accountability, credibility among their leaders, illiteracy, and lack of commitment among some members and limited sustainability of projects. The paper advocates for government to intervene in form of finding lasting solutions to these problems. Key words: Absolute rural poverty; Coping strategy; Benue State Nigeria Resume: La pauvrete absolue a ete un probleme social dans le Nigeria rural avec un taux qui augmentent de facon constante. Tous les efforts gouvernementaux precedents en termes de projets de reduction de la pauvrete et des programmes ont echoue, la situation ne s'ameliore guere. Afin de survivre les pauvres ruraux ont decide une strategie de survivance d'artifice pour regler le probleme de la pauvrete. Une de telles strategies est la formulation d'organisations basees de communaute (CBOs). Le papier examine la nature, les activites et l'impact du CBOs sur les pauvres ruraux. Les CBOs etaient capables mobiliser tres peu de ressources sur le plan humain et materiel, les ecoles primaires et secondaires ont ete etablies, les travaux artisanaux a domicile ont ete construits, les caniveaux et les ponts ont ete construit, des cliniques de sante de communaute ont ete etablies, ainsi que des institutions financiers locales, la donation de materiel pour soulager la situation comme les aliments et les vetements aux peuple qui sont des moins favorises, les veuves et des orphelins, la donation de materiels(matieres) de soulagement la nourriture contribuee et des tissus a moins - privilegie, des veuves et des orphelins. On handicape le CBOS en raison de certains problemes comme le manque de fonds adequats, la corruption, la responsabilite, la credibilite parmi leurs leaders, l'analphabetisme et le manque d'engagement parmi certains membres ont limite ce projet. Le papier recommande pour le gouvernement d'intervenir dans la forme de trouver des solutions durables a ces problemes. Mots-cles: Pauvreterurale absolue; Strategie d'adaptation; L'Etat Benue Nigeria INTRODUCTION Poverty is a detestable condition that has no racial, geographical, religious, political, ethnic and any other barrier poverty affects every aspect of human existence. It affects its victims socially, physically, mentally and psychologically. For instance, it limits the possibility of the poor from realizing their mental and physical potentials. It destroys aspirations, hope, happiness, self esteem, personal competence, tolerance of others, self-satisfaction, oneness to others and one's disposition to participate in community affairs (Dike, 2002). There are traces of poverty in every nation but the situation is more pronounced in developing countries especially Sub-Saharan African countries. Those countries remain the poorest in the world. The World Bank in its 2005 report pointed out that poverty in Sub-Saharan African is typically higher than elsewhere in the world. They are noted for prevalence of absolute poverty in all its characteristic features. Poverty here is absolute, pervasive and chronic. …

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