The role of accounting information system in the sustainability of agricultural development projects in Nigeria

Abstract

It was noted that there is poor communication of accounting information in the Agricultural Development Projects (ADPs). This creates information gaps among the financial and non‐financial managers. The gap is occasioned by ignorance, lack of trust and personality clash among ADPs’ staff. This hinders effective and efficient gathering and dissemination of accounting information in ADPs. The tripartite funding and controls of ADPs makes their accounting data processing and management different. Accounting information can assist in achieving sustainability of ADPs by providing information to support decision making, assisting in setting and allocating resources to prioritized areas, promoting industrial relations and cost reduction in the ADPs’ system. The paper also asserted that in establishing and implementing information processing system to fully realise these benefits, accounting information needs to be properly understood and managed. Accounting information requires management in much the same way as any large stock holdings. Hence accounting information should be such that it is uniquely stored, located, retrieved, updated, disseminated and consequently used to make informed decisions.