Development needs and intervention programme among resettled communities in Taraba state: A correlational analysis

Abstract

This study examines the correlation between the basic development needs of resettled internally displaced communities and the Fadama-III-AF-II intervention programme in Taraba State, which has faced multiple patterns of humanitarian crises due to Boko Haram insurgency and ethno-religious conflicts. Reports from 2015 to 2017 indicate that Taraba State had 63,272 IDPs resulting from conflicts between 2010 and 2015. In response, the Federal Government launched the North East Food Security and Livelihood Emergency Support Project (NEFSLESP) under Fadama III-AF-II, benefiting 39 resettled communities in Taraba State. A 3-part questionnaire was administered to 338 respondents from 26 purposively sampled communities, with each community having 13 respondents since they all had equal beneficiaries (40 each). Data were quantitatively analyzed using descriptive statistics, and the hypothesis was tested using the correlation coefficient at a 0.05 alpha significance level. Findings showed that the Fadama III-AF-II intervention was demand-driven through needs assessment, leading to the identification of basic development needs, the development of a Community Action Plan, and the delivery of intervention packages. The study revealed a significant correlation between the identified needs and the provided intervention packages, with a Pearson Correlation coefficient of 0.604 and a P value of 0.018. The study recommends that the state government design intervention programmes to address housing, healthcare, and school rehabilitation in resettled communities, as these needs were not covered by the Fadama III-AF-II intervention.