Population Control and Rural Poverty Reduction for Sustainable Development in Rural Communities of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Abstract

The need for population control especially in rural communities and in all societies cannot be
over emphasized. Population control has become very imperative in rural communities of
Akwa Ibom State and in Nigeria where people depend on farming as the main source of income
with dependents family sizes causing a serious challenge to the attainment of sustainable
development goals come 2030. The study which was exploratory in nature employed the
Thomas Malthus Theory of population growth and 450 respondents from three Local
Government Areas of Akwa Ibom State selected for the study. The study revealed that illiteracy,
cultural beliefs, religious affiliation and early marriages as some of the causes of
overpopulation in rural areas. To control the population and reduce poverty in the rural
communities of Akwa Ibom State, the study recommends among others that measures on
creation of awareness and implementation of policies should be enacted to control population
in rural areas, control of extinction of environmental habitat, provision of job opportunities
and extend social services to rural communities to help transform the areas and reduce rural-
urban migration. The study also recommended the investment in female education as it is
believed in reducing the problem of early marriages and by so doing reduces population
growth.