ABSTRACT
This study examines poverty among the farming population in Oredo and Egor Local Government Areas of Edo state. The data used in the study came from both primary and secondary sources. The Foster–Greer–Thorbecke Distributional measure of poverty was used to analyse the incidence, depth and severity of poverty in the study area. A multiple regression model was use to analyse data with consumption (as proxy for poverty) as the dependent variable and a set of socio– economic variables as the explanatory variables.
The age group (41-51) contributed 7.69%, 7.38% and 6.67% to incidence, depth and severity respectively of the overall poverty. Sex of household head (male) contributed 41.46%, 41.57% and 44.22% to depth, severity and Incidence of poverty respectively while household size (medium) contributed 26.38%, 28% and 29.78% respectively to incidence, depth and severity of the overall poverty of the respondents. The study shows that to reduce poverty in the study area, a minimum of N4190.61 per day, or N49.29 per person per day would be required to eliminate poverty. The maximum amount to eliminate poverty would be N25855.70 per day or N198.89 per person per day.
The size of household, education level of household head and the size of land cultivated per year were found to be statistically significant to the calorie consumption of households, consumption per day being a ‘proxy’ for poverty in the study. It was found that approximately two in every five people were poor. Also the variables that were significantly correlated with poverty in the study area were the size of the household, education level of household head and the size of land cultivated per year.
From the findings, the following recommendations were made: Government and policy makers should ensure that a larger proportion of the educated men and women are involved in arable crop production, and provide incentives to dissuade them from non-farm activities. Since households with high output in the study area had less severe poverty, Corporate Organisations and non-governmental Organisations should put in place logistics that will improve agricultural productivity for the poor in the area so as to increase their output and income. Households with higher education level fared better than those with low education. Therefore, the people should be encouraged to get educated through deliberate effort to provide educational facilities. Government may also assist in this regard.
