ABSTRACT
Although several studies have been conducted on livelihood diversification, there is no record of work done on assessment of livelihood diversification on small scale rubber farmer in the study area. Hence, this study was conducted to assess the livelihood diversification of small scale rubber farmers in Edo State, Nigeria. In an attempt to achieve this, the following objective were analysed: Socio-economic characteristics of smallholder rubbers farming household in the study area, livelihood activities of the rubber farmers, factors that influence farming households decisions to diversify their livelihood and constraints faced by the rubber farmers in the process of diversifying their livelihood. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select a sample size of 120 respondents from three local Government Areas with high rubber production activities. Data for the study were collected from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data were collected through structured questionnaire and were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as percentage, frequency and means. Results obtained showed that majority (87.5%) of rubber farmers were males with an average age of 52 year; majority (84.8%) of them were married with an average household size of 6 persons. Results also showed that a high proportion of the rubber farmers had obtained primary and secondary level of education. Results also revealed that majority (76.8%) of respondents were involved in other livelihood activities in order to improve their income. Results further showed that cooperative societies have helped rubber farmers through group sales of produce (63.4%), provision of credit to members (17.9%), group sales of inputs (5.4%). Also, it was found that most (64.9%) rubber farmers have had contact with extension on quarterly basis. Results on income from rubber production showed that high proportion (42.9%) of rubber farmers earned less than ₦800,000 with an average annual sale of ₦867,816.07, while results on income from intercropping showed that majority (80.4%) of rubber farmers earned less than ₦200,000. The constraints encountered by rubber farmers in the study area were long gestation period (mean = 4.51), inadequate capital (mean = 4.19), high cost of farm inputs (mean = 4.12), poor price index (mean = 4.07), poor road condition (mean = 3.78), disease incidence (mean = 3.63), inadequate information (mean = 3.28), lack of farmland (mean = 3.23) and lack of extension services (mean = 3.03). Based on the results obtained, it was concluded that rubber farmers in the study area were highly involved in other livelihood activities in order to improve their income to meet household needs. It was recommended that rubber farmers should be assisted with credit facilities to enhance their production, and also diversify into other livelihoods, while Extension agents should improve their frequency of visits to rubber farmers in the study area.
