INTRODUCTION

Rural communities are the most important sectors of the Nigerian, indeed the West African Regional Population. There are several reasons to
support this position.
Agricultural and rural developments are crucial for the structural transformation and economic development of West Africa Region.
Agriculture contributes 20 per cent of GDP in northern Africa and 30 per cent of GDP in sub-Saharan Africa. The rural population represents
an average of over 60 percent of the total population on the continent; about 90 per cent of the rural labor force engage directly or indirectly in
agricultural activities. For the continent’s rural people, accelerated agricultural and rural development would contribute to greater efficiency,
increased household income, improved standards of living, and poverty reduction. Experience from the developed economies has shown that a
sound rural development policy must posses the following key components:
–Must be sustainable–Must be Efficient–Must be AffordablRural Development and Sustainability •We must all understand that sustainable
development is a strategy by which communities seek economic development approaches that also benefit the local environment and quality
of life. It has become an important guide to many communities that have discovered that traditional approaches to planning and development
are creating, rather than solving, societal and environmental problems. Where traditional approaches can lead to congestion, sprawl, pollution
and resource over consumption, sustainable development offers real, lasting solutions that will strengthen our future.Sustainable development
provides a framework under which communities can use resources efficiently, create efficient infrastructures, protect and enhance quality of
life, and create new businesses to strengthen their economies. It can help us create healthy communities that can sustain our generation, as well
as those that follow ours.Sustainable development therefore must meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs.My presentation will cover a comprehensive review of the National Policy on integrated Rural
Developmentof the Nigerian Government –produced by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural DevelopmentThe review will also
include a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis. SWOT analysis is a basic technique that is often used in
strategic planning, improving corporate success, organizational development and identifying competitive advantage, so as to achieve better
understanding of the proposed initiative •It will be clear from the review that the demands of Smart, Appropriate and Resource Efficient
Technologies are not clearly defined, except in the area of Rural Energy Supply which is covered in the Renewable Energy Master
Plan(REMP)–policy document produced by the Energy Commission of Nigeria.•This aspect of the policy is like part of the implementation
strategy for Smart and Efficient Technologies for Rural Development CHAPTER 2Policy Objectives And Strategies2.1 Policy Objectives
(14)–The overview objectives of the National Policy Integrated Rural Development draw from the national objectives of developing the rural
areas, raising the quality of life of the rural people, alleviating rural poverty and using rural development to contribute to laying a solid
foundation for national development. 2.2 Strategies for Integrated Rural Development (5)–To achieve integrated and even development on a
sustainable basis, the strategies to be adopted will empower rural dwellers through the development of productive employment, enhancing
their income, ensuring protection of the environment, promoting gender responsiveness and ensuring adequate care for vulnerable group
groups. STRENGTHS: -Policy ensures that the private sector plays a vital role -Policy highlights agriculture, as it is often considered as less
'developmental'. WEAKNESS: -No specific policy relating to "smart technology”. OPPORTUNITY Integrate smart appropriate, efficient
technology at the early stage of development. -Democratic govTHREAT: -Implementation -Resource Availability -Policy
inconsistencyRENEWABLE ENERGYA Key Implementation of Federal Government Policy on Smart Technologies in Rural
CommunitiesEXECUTIVE SUMMARY Background
TheRenewableEnergyMasterPlan(REMP)articulatesNigeria'svisionandsetsoutaroadmapforincreasingtheroleofrenewableenergyinachievings
ustainabledevelopmentt. which will hopefully guarantee stabil
-Integrate smart appropriate, efficient technology at the early stage of development. -Democratic govt.
which will hopefully guarantee stability.THREAT:
Implementation Resource Availability -Policy inconsistency
RENEWABLE ENERGYA Key Implementation of Federal Government Policy on Smart Technologies
in Rural Communities EXECUTIVE SUMMARY BackgroundThe Renewable Energy Master
Plan(REMP)articulatesNigeria'svisionandsetsoutaradmapforincreasingtheroleofrenewableenergyinachievi
ngsustainabledevelopment.TheREMPisanchoredonthemountingconvergenceof:•Values,•Principles
and•Targets as embedded in the•National Economic Empowerment and Development
Strategy(NEEDS),•NationalEnergyPolicy,•NationalPolicyonIntegratedRuralDevelopment,•TheMillenniu
mDevelopmentGoals(MDGs)and•Internationalconventionstoreducepovertyandreverseglobalenvironmenta
lchange.BACKGROUND …. CONTINUEDTowards the coming decades,Nigeria envisions a
peaceful and prosperus nation driven
increasinglybyrenewableenergy.Thecountrywillexploitrenewableenergyinquantitiesandatpricesthatwillp
romotetheachievementofequitableandsustainablegrowth.SHORTTERMIntheshortterm,crudeoilwillcon
tinuetoplayadominantroleintheeconomicdevelopmentofthecountry.

Nigeria's fossil-led economy is under severe pressure.

Decades to come, the sun will slowly but certainly set on crude oil production.

Today,large hydro power plants are increasingly threatened by a shrinking RiverNiger,shaking the
security of electricity supplies.
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Nigeria
envisionsanenergytransitionfromcrudeoiltoalesscarbonintensiveeconomyincreasinglypoweredbygas.

Gaswillrepresentanewgrowthpoleandprovideabridgetoalowcarboneconomythatsecuresincreasedprosper
ityandpreservesourenvironment.Inthenexttenyears,gasisexpectedtoovertakecrudeoilasasourceofrevenue;
provideabasisforreliablepowersupplyandacleanerenvironment.Theeffectofrenewableenergyinnationalener
gysupplyshouldbegintobefelt.Background continued MEDIUM
TERMframeworkthatwillenablearapidscaleupofthemarketforrenewableenergy.•Pricesandfinancingconstra
intswillbeaddressedtocreatealevelplayingfield,andincreaseincentivesforrenewableenergy.•Poorproductqua
lityandstandardsmustberegulatedtoensureconsumerconfidenceandsustainabilityofthemarket.•Publicawaren
essandpromotionwillbecriticalelementsofthedrivetoexpandthemarketforrenewableenergy.Lastly,•Addressi
nggapsinkeyR&Dareasandbuildinghumanandmanufacturingcapacitiesarekeyissuesthatmustalsobeaddresse
dDRIVERS FOR
CHANGEThedemandforenergyservicesbyahugeproportionofthepopulationthatremaininadequatelyserv
ed.The commitment and completion of far reaching power sector reforms will also create a basis to
expand therole of renewables in meeting electricity targets, especially in rural power supply.
Internationaldevelopmentinthemarketforrenewableenergytechnologiesandtheactionsofgovernmentbilate
rallyandwithinmultilateralbodiewillhelpshapesuccessesindeliveringmoreenergyfrorenewablesourcesKEY
OBJECTIVESTheoverallobjectiveoftheREMPistoarticulateanationalvision,targetsandaroadmapforadd
ressingkeydevelopmentchallengesfacingNigeriathroughtheaccelerateddevelopmentandexploitationofrene
wableeergy.Putinplaceacomprehensiveframeworkfordevelopingrenewableenergypolicies,legalinstrume
nts,technologies,manpower,infrastructureandmarkettoensurethatthevisionsandtargetsarerealized.Expan
dingaccesstoenergyservicesandraisingthestandardofliving,especiallyintheruralareas;36Key Objective
……... CONTINUEDStimulatingeconomicgrowth,employmentandempowerment;Increasing the
scope and quality of rural services, including schools, health services, water supply, information,
entertainment and stemming the migration to urban areas; Reducingenvironmentaldegradationand-
healthrisks,particularlytovulnerablegroupssuchaswomenandchildren;Impinglearning,capacity-
building,researchanddevelopmentonvariousrenewableenergytechnologiesinthecountry;andProvidingaro
admapforachievingasubstantialshareofthenationalenergysupplymixthroughrenewableenergy.Developmen
t and Sustainability •We must all understand that sustainable development is a strategy by which
communities seek economic development approaches that also benefit the local environment and quality
of life. It has become an important guide to many communities that have discovered that traditional
approaches to planning and development are creating, rather than solving, societal and environmental
problems. Where traditional approaches can lead to congestion, sprawl, pollution and resource over
consumption, sustainable development offers real, lasting solutions that will strengthen our
future.7communities are the most important sectors of the Nigerian, indeed the West African Regional
Population. There are several reasons to support this position•Experience from the developed economies
has shown that a sound rural development policy must posses the following key components: –Must be
sustainable–Must be Efficien–Must be AffordableRural Development and Sustainability •We must all
understand that sustainable development is a strategy by which communities seek economic development
approaches that also benefit the local environment and quality of life. It has become an important guide to
many communities that have discovered that traditional approaches to planning and development are
creating, rather than solving, societal and environmental problems. Where traditional approaches can lead
to congestion, sprawl, pollution and resource over consumption, sustainable development offers real,
lasting solutions that will strengthen our future.Conclusion and Recommendations•To reestablish
Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development•The department of Rural Development be
upgraded to a full Agency for Rural Development •Policy to be reviewed to incorporate key elements of
smart, appropriate, and affordable technologies for Rural communities