Rural industrialization: a strategy for rural development in Nigeria

Rural industrialization is a gate way to rural development most nations particularly an agrarian economy like Nigeria. This paper assessed the genesis, the need, prospects arid constraints of industrialization as a v~ritable tool for development. Some general and necessary information on rural industrialization were highlighted which if properly utilized will serve :as a way forwarci for achieving sustainable rural transformation and national development. The study reveals that past government policies on rural industrialization as good as they were, has not yielded the desired result expected, hence the need for re-approach. Identified constraints include: inadequate infrastructure, poor utilization of available manpower and absent e of a sound technology base, low level-of: private sector (foreign and domestic) investment, government policy art macro economics, political environment and institutional set-up.· Alternative measure proposed in this study will foster rural industrialization on a sustainable bases includes: review of government policies on investment options of, agriculture (foreign and domestic) vigorous . development of agro-industries with focus on availability of unlimited raw material resources, development of agricultural sector driven by appropriate technology, development of post-harvest systems and agro-industry and creation of agriculture information rietwork centers located in · all local go·vernment areas headquarters for easy access by farmers and local investors.