Seasonality in income and poverty among rural food crop farmers in Akwaibom State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the seasonality in income and poverty in Nigeria using Akwa Ibom State as a case study with particular emphasis on rural food crop farmers. Multistage sampling was used to randomly select 150 respondents for the study. Descriptive statistics and the FGT poverty model were the tools of analyses. It is revealed that more farmland of over 392.1 ha were brought under cultivation in the rainy season while only 152.9 ha were cultivated during the dry/off-season. Consequently, a significant level of income of more than N304 m was generated in the rainy season which was higher than the over N110 m generated in the dry season. Again, 59.1% of the respondents total income came from food crop production in the rainy season with only 29.9% in the dry season. The poverty profile of the respondents shows that the incidence, depth and severity were higher among the female respondents than the males and during off-season than rainy season. It is also revealed that respondents that are less educated, non-members of co-operative groups and household members above 6 were more vulnerable to poverty due to increased dependency, consumption and expenditure. Number of years of education, farming experience and extension contacts were found to be poverty reducing. Although there were significant increase in farmland cultivated and per capita income during the rainy season than the dry season, they did not translate into a significant reduction in the population of the respondents especially females below the poverty line. It may be suggested that market access could be a constraint. Large household sizes and increase in the age of the respondents were found to be welfare reducing and the probability of falling below the poverty line increases. Hence, policies and programmes towards linking respondents to market situations, family planning and social welfare for the aged are strongly advocated. The existing free and compulsory education even at the tertiary level should be maintained and improve upon. Gender friendly and compatible intervention programmes be put in place for more female respondents to get out of poverty in both rainy and off-season.