Urban Agriculture (UA) and Its Effects on Poverty Alleviation: A Case Study of Vegetable Farming in Ibadan Metropolis, Nigeria

Abstract

Urban agriculture is a viable option to alleviate poverty among urban dwellers especially the unemployed and low income earners that barely cope with the expensive lifestyle of urban centers. Thus, this study investigated effects of urban agriculture on poverty alleviation among vegetable farmers. Specifically, described the socio-economic characteristics of vegetable farmers, examined profitability of vegetable enterprise, assessed level of poverty among vegetable farmers, and determined factors influencing level of poverty status of vegetable farmers. A multistage sampling procedure was used to obtain data from 100 respondents for the study. Data were collected on socio-economics characteristics such as age, marital status, educational level, household size, income level and expenditure level. Data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, budgetary analysis, Foster, Greer, and Thorbecke (FGT) index; and Probit regression analysis. Descriptive statistics for the entire respondents showed average values of 45(±8.10) years for age, 11(±4) years for years of experience, 7(±3.5) persons for household size, and 4(±3.5) hectares for farm size. The budgetary analysis showed that average net income, benefit-cost ratios and rate of return were ₦40, 327, ₦ 2.46 and ₦ 1.50, respectively. FGT index revealed that about 30% of the sampled vegetable farmers experience poverty. Only 3.4% experience extreme poverty, while 7.9% were moderately poor. Probit estimates further revealed that factors such as net income (p<0.05), cost of labour (p<0.05), and household size (p<0.01) had significant effects poverty status of vegetable farmers in the study area. However, the study concluded that vegetable enterprise is profitable and could help to reduce poverty to a minimum level. In accordance with the findings of the study, we therefore recommend that youths should be encouraged to go into vegetable farming as it was found to reduce poverty. Also, input support services in the form of credit facilities, fertilizer and other chemicals should be provided with a view to reduce cost of labour incurred on vegetable production.