CONTRIBUTION OF POULTRY FARMING BY RURAL WOMEN TO LIVELIHOOD SUSTENANCE AND POVERTY REDUCTION IN ONDO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study examined the contribution of poultry farming among rural women farmers to livelihood sustenance and poverty alleviation in Ondo State, Nigeria. The study examined poverty incidence among the households of women in poultry farming, determined the profitability level of poultry farming, determined the percentage contribution of income from poultry farming to household income of women farmers, examined the factors influencing the poverty incidence of the respondents and identified the constraints militating against women in poultry farming. Primary data were collected from 90 respondents with the aid of structured questionnaire using multi-stage sampling procedures. The analytical tools used were descriptive statistics, budgeting analysis, Foster-Greer-Thorbecke, Sen Index, Sen-Shorrock-Thon Index and Probit regression model. Results showed that the mean age of the women poultry farmers was 46 years with average household size of five, more than 99% had formal education, 46.7% of the respondents had small scale farms with less than 1,000 birds, Gross Margin was ₦686,942 for 1,000 broilers and ₦3,722,888 for 1,000 layers, 70% had greater proportion of their total household income from poultry farming. About 65.6% were actually poor and it would take a year and two months to get the poor out of poverty if the income growth rate increases by 50%. An increase in farm size, farm visit by extension agents and farm revenue will decrease the probability of being poor. Major production constraints for the women were insufficient capital, high cost of commercial feed and difficulty in accessing credit facilities. It is therefore recommended that special short-term loan facilities for poultry farming should be made available to women on easy terms and conditions by government and NGOs to enhance expansion of their production.