Socioeconomic Correlates of Perceptions of Sustainability of Pastoral Livelihood Among Cattle Herdsmen in Kwara State, Nigeria

Abstract

The paper provides empirical evidence on the perception of sustainability of pastoral livelihood among its practitioners in Kwara State, Nigeria. Multi-stage cluster random sampling was used in sample selection, while an interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to elicit information. A Pastoral Livelihood Sustainability Perception Index (PLSPI) was computed for each respondent, using 10 positively presented perception statements on a 5-point Likert type scale. Data analysis revealed that respondents were mostly male, uneducated, and fairly young. Mean monthly income and herd size were N203, 393 and 41 respectively. Respondents exhibited highly favourable perception of pastoral livelihood sustainability (= 4.2). Also, there were significant correlations between PLSPI and age (r = 0.65), income (r =0.72), herd size (r= 0.78), and years of education (r = -0.68). Pastoralism is not just a function of culture but also that of rational income generation. Intensification of formal education among pastoralist youth and children is thus recommended as a means of personal and future development of pastoral households.