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Research on "Assessment of Rural Water Supply Management in Selected Rural Areas of Oyo State, Nigeria" by Prof. A. S. Gbadegesin
In Nigeria, as in most parts of Africa, water resource management and utilization is crucial to the country's efforts toward poverty reduction, economic growth and food security while maintaining sustainable ecological systems. Even after nearly sixty years of water supply development in Nigeria, as much as 43% of the population still lacks access to safe water, with the situation worse in rural areas.
In recognition of the poor state of water management in the country and its implication for socio-economic development and environmental sustainability, the government has prepared a new national policy on water resource development. One of the objectives of the policy is to provide good potable water to the rural population at an affordable price.
To achieve this objective, there is the need to understand the constraints and challenges of rural water supply. Besides addressing issues of participatory governance, cost recovery and appropriate technology, there is also a need to address the values, attitudes, preferences and capacities of the different stakeholders in the supply and management of water in rural areas.
This study will examine the extent to which stakeholders in the supply and management of water are willing and able to adopt and implement sustainable, cost-effective and environment friendly management options for water resources in selected rural areas of Nigeria. The study will focus on the ideological preferences of the stakeholders, the manpower capacity building for water resource management, and the existing knowledge base on socio-economic, technological and ecological dimensions of water resource management.
One of the aims of this study will be to highlight the relevance of Integrated Water Resource Management as a conceptual tool to manage water and other related resources while at the same time bring out the sustainable technological and ecological policy options for improved water management within the peculiar institutional context of the study area.
The ultimate outcome of this work will be to suggest ways of improving the peoples' indigenous knowledge of water resource management in order to ensure sustainable water supply in the rural parts of the country. The results will also catalogue ideas and experiences of local initiatives that could be adapted to solve water supply problems in similar rural communities in Nigeria and elsewhere.
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