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Effect of Selected Food Crop Outputs on Poverty Level of Farm Households in Rivers State

Iyabode Asimiea, D.I Ekine, D.B Ewubare and C. Chukuigwe

Abstract

This study examined the effect of selected food crop outputs on poverty level of farm households in Rivers State. The primary data of the study were collected from a sample of 820 respondents based on the copies of questionnaires completed and returned. The data collected were analyzed using binary logit regression involving the odd ratios and marginal effects. The estimated binary logit results showed that yam production decreases the probability of poverty reduction by 0.028%. The results showed that an increase in cassava production increases the probability of poverty reduction by 0.034%. This suggests that plantain production has the potential to improve the poverty levels of farm households in Rivers State. The pseudo-R-squared showed that the food crop outputs (yam, cassava, cocoyam and plantain outputs) jointly accounted for 34.89% of the total variations in poverty level. Based on the findings, this study recommends that the Rivers State Government through the Ministry of Agriculture should support the farmers to improve yam production by breeding varieties of yam seeds for distribution to farmers, developing alternative propagation materials through cutting, research into non-stake yam varieties and promoting extension services for rapid seed yam production to create more opportunities for improved Socio-economic livelihoods and reduction of poverty level in Rivers State.

Keywords

Food cropsSocio-economic DevelopmentFarm householdsYamCocoyamPlantainpoverty level.

References

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