Analysis of impact of Fadama III programme on poverty status among root and tuber crop farmers in central states, Nigeria

Abstract

This study evaluated the impact of Fadama III programme on the poverty status among tuber crop farmers in central States of Nigeria. Specific objectives of this study were to describe the socioeconomic characteristics of Fadama III participants in the study area and to determine the impact of Fadama III programme on the poverty status of the participants in the study area. A multi-stage random sampling procedure was used to select 934 farmers (427 and 507 participants and non-participants). Primary data were collected in March, 2015 on socioeconomic variables (age, and educational level, farm size, farming experience and non-farming activities of the respondents), household expenditure and kilo calories of food consumption of participants and non-participants using structured questionnaires and interview schedules. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Foster, Greer and Thorbeeke (FGT) poverty indices. The results shows that Age, family size, farmers’ level of education, farm size and farmers’ farming experience were the socio-economic factors of the respondents in the study area identified and described . The result of impact of programme on poverty status of participants showed that the poverty incidence for the Fadama III root and tuber scheme participants and non-participants was 0.28 and 0.43 of the farm households in the study area were poor while 0.72 and 0.57 of the Fadama III root and tuber crop scheme participants and non-participants were non-poor. The prevalence of poverty among the farm households in the study area was 0.28 and 0.43of the participating and non-participating Fadama III root and tuber crop farm households with consumption expenditure level below the poverty line. The poverty depth was 0.09 and 0.17of the Fadama III participants and non-participants whose average consumption expenditure was below the poverty line while the Z- test indicated that there was an impact of Fadama III programme on the participants’ poverty status. It was significant at 5% level of probability. The problems encountered by the farmers in the study area are high cost of input, limited finances, bad roads, low produce prices, inadequate fixed inputs, poor marketing practices, high cost of labour, poor storage facilities and non-availability of water and shortage of fertilizer. The study recommends that farmers should be advised through the Agricultural Development Programme of central states on how to allocate and use of their resources in other to enhance increased net farm income and improve the poverty status of the people. There is the need for the National Orientation Agencies at both federal and state level to embark on vigorous enlightenment programme on the need for reduction in family size, farmers are encouraged to form cooperative societies to enhance bulk purchase of input which will reduce input cost and ensure timely supply of same, high costs of inputs were identified as a problem in root and tuber crop production and there is the need for policy makers to pursue opportunities for regional cooperation in international input procurement and to facilitate privatization and competition in input distribution.

Keywords: Impact, Fadama III, Poverty, Root and tuber crops, Central States, Nigeria