Global Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences

Abstract

Assessment of Poverty Status among Rice Farmers in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State

Cyprian Clement Abur

The study assesses poverty status among rice farmers in Guma Local Government Area of Benue state; Nigeria. Poverty continues to be a major problem in Benue state. The study uses the simple percentage, Gini coefficient, Foster Greer Thorbecke and Bivariate logit regression techniques applied on a cross-sectional data of 95 rice farmers in the study area. to analyze data. The result of the simple percentage, show that the majority of the farmers are aged 40-50. While the result of the Gini coefficient shows 0.04 which indicates a low income inequality among the rice farmers. The result of the Foster Greer Thorbecke shows that 60 per cent of rice farmers are below the poverty line. The results of the Bivariate logit regression techniques shows the likelihood of a rice farmer being poor is reduced with increase in the number of years of formal education, output per month and the income from rice and capital. The study concluded that there is a high level of poverty among the rice farmers in the study area. However, it recommended that increased government support through the provision of subsidy on major rice equipment and the provision of production credit through public-private arrangement would go a long way to alleviate poverty among rice farmers in the area.