From Resource Stewardship to Rural Prosperity: Agricultural Value and Financial Accountability in Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the relationships among natural resource stewardship, agricultural value generation, financial accountability, and rural prosperity in Nigeria. The study adopted an analytical cross-sectional survey design involving 465 rural economic actors comprising smallholder farmers, agricultural entrepreneurs, cooperative members, and community resource users across six Nigerian states. Data were collected with a structured questionnaire and analyzed using frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations, and Pearson product–moment correlation. The findings showed significant positive relationships between resource stewardship and agricultural value generation (r = .59, p < .001), financial accountability and agricultural value generation (r = .56, p < .001), agricultural value generation and rural prosperity (r = .64, p < .001), and resource stewardship and rural prosperity (r = .52, p < .001). The results indicate that respondents reporting stronger stewardship practices also reported higher agricultural value, while stronger financial accountability was associated with higher agricultural value. Agricultural value had the strongest observed relationship with rural prosperity. The findings further indicate that stewardship and accountability are relevant dimensions of rural development alongside production and market-oriented activities. The study concludes that rural prosperity should be approached as a multidimensional outcome associated with sustainable resource management, value creation, and accountable financial practices. It recommends integrated rural-development interventions that combine environmental stewardship, agricultural value addition, transparent financial management, cooperative governance, and improved market infrastructure.