Fadama Users Group Characteristics that Influence Facilitators' Role Performance Effectiveness in the Second National Fadama Development Project in Nigeria

Abstract

The Second National Fadama Development Project (NFDP-II) is the largest agricultural project in Nigeria. To ensure its effectiveness, facilitators were engaged and charged with assisting the Fadama Community Association (FCAS) and their constituent Fadama users groups (FUGs) to articulate and prioritize their problems and opportunities to be tackled. It is expected that the characteristics of the FUGs will influence facilitators' role performance effectiveness. Field study was conducted in six States of Nigeria, namely Bauchi, Imo, Jigawa, Niger, Plateau and Oyo States. Applying a multi-stage sampling procedure, 236 fadama users' group officials were sampled and administered with validated questionnaire and interview schedule to elicit data for the study to determine the Fadama users group characteristics that influence the role performance effectiveness of facilitators in the NFDP-II. Data analysis was done by use of percentage, mean and logic regression The results of the study showed that there was low cohesiveness, low interaction with other groups and discriminating status hierarchy which implies that the characteristics are not yet adequate for role performance effectiveness of facilitators. Also only economic disposition of FUGs determined facilitators' role performance effectiveness. It is recommended that group formation should be based on economic disposition of members of the FUGs because only economic disposition of FUGs determine facilitators role performance effectiveness.