E.I OKONMAH

This study examined rural development as a means of combating rural–urban migration in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria. The increasing movement of people from rural communities to urban centers has become a major socio-economic challenge, resulting in population pressure in cities and underdevelopment in rural areas. The study aimed to investigate the causes of rural–urban migration, assess the level of rural development in the study area, and evaluate how the provision of basic amenities and economic opportunities can reduce migration tendencies among rural residents.
The study adopted a survey research design. Data were collected through questionnaires, interviews, and relevant secondary sources from respondents selected through a simple random sampling technique. The findings revealed that inadequate infrastructure, limited employment opportunities, poor healthcare services, insufficient educational facilities, and low agricultural productivity are major factors driving rural inhabitants to migrate to urban centers. The study further found that effective rural development initiatives, including the provision of roads, electricity, potable water, healthcare facilities, quality education, and agricultural support programs, can significantly improve living standards and discourage excessive migration.
The study concluded that sustainable rural development remains a viable strategy for reducing rural–urban migration and promoting balanced national development. It recommended increased government investment in rural infrastructure, empowerment of rural farmers and entrepreneurs, improved access to social services, and active community participation in development planning and implementation. These measures would enhance rural livelihoods, create employment opportunities, and contribute to the overall socio-economic development of the region.

The provision of social services is a development strategy, while community participation is one of the methods of achieving this objective, thus, the two concepts can be conceived together as community development. The United Nations defined community development “as the process by which the efforts of the people themselves are united with those of governmental authorities to improve the economic, social and cultural condition of communities, to integrate these communities into the life of the nation and to enable them to contribute fully to national progress” (United nations, 1963). This complex process therefore, consists of two essential element