| Title: | Livelihood Diversification among Poultry Farmers in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State |
| Author(s): | Confidence Chinyere Amadi-Robert, King Sunday Agbagwa & Chinda Real Williams |
| Abstract: | This study examined livelihood diversification of poultry farmers in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area (LGA), Rivers state. The objectives of this study were to describe the socio-economic characteristics of the poultry farmers, describe the livelihood diversification pattern, estimate the determinants of livelihood diversification among poultry farmers and identify the constraints in poultry farming in the study area. With the aid of copies of structured questionnaire, data for the study were collected from 176 poultry farmers drawn from the study area using multi-stage sampling procedure. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics (mean scores and logit regressions). Result from the study showed that majority (84.7%) of the poultry farmers were males and most (49.4%) of the farmers were between the ages of 44-56yrs, most (75%) of the poultry farmers were married and that they were all educated as they had one form of formal education or the other. It was observed that majority (50%) of the poultry farmers had household size of 5-7 persons and that most (45.9%) of them had 1-5yrs farming experience. The study showed that 45.5% of the poultry farmers had income level of 41,000-80,000 Naira per month and most (59.7%) of them engaged in both farm and off-farm livelihood diversification pattern. The results also revealed that farm location (P-value = 0.021), poultry profit/annum (P-value = 0.001), income level (P-value = 0.042), access to market (P-value = 0.000) and age (P-value = 0.023) were statistically significant at 5% level; suggesting that they influenced livelihood diversification. Further, inadequate capital, pest and diseases, lack of information, high price of feeds, lack of credit facilities and availability/affordability of vaccines were considered as constraints in poultry farming in the study area. The study recommended that government should facilitate programmmes tailored at reducing the incidences of pest and diseases recorded in poultry farming as such, the risky nature of the enterprise will be minimized. |
| Keywords: | Livelihood, Diversification, Poultry, Farmers |
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