DOES THEIR GEOGRAPHY MATTER? ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF GEOGRAPHICAL FACTORS ON DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL COMMUNITIES IN BENUE STATE, NIGERIA

The study assessed the impact of geographicalfactors on the development of rural communities in Benue state.Primary data (on living standard, employment, social inclusion,climate, location, resources, and environmental stability) weregenerated through mixed questionnaires administered to therespondents in a household survey. A random selection of nine(9) LGAs in the State was done, with three (3) LGAs selectedfrom each of Benue North, Benue Central and Benue South. Asample of 820 was selected out of the population of 2,065,400.The logistic regression analysis was employed to examine theimpact of geographical factors on economic development ofrural households in Benue state with analysis done using theSPSS. Geographical factors, such as climate, location,resources and environmental stability, were found to havenegative impacts on the standard of living, employment andsocial inclusion of households in rural communities of Benuestate, thereby significantly impacting the economic developmentof such households in the state. It was recommended amongothers that, the ministries concerned with rural developmentshould concentrate on linking the rural communities to theurban areas for the flow of goods, services and information