Authors : M.O. Adetunji, J.A. Oladejo, J.O. Oladiran and I.K. Ojedokun
Abstract: This study analyzed the level of poverty among women cassava processors in Ogbomoso Agricultural Zone of Oyo State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling method was employed to select one hundred and eighty (180) women cassava processors. Primary data were collected through a well structured interview schedule and the data collected were subjected to descriptive, poverty, budgetary and ordinary least squares regression analyses. Findings revealed that the mean age of respondents was 43 years while 25.6% of them had no access at all to formal education. Majority (82.2%) of the processors were married with a mean household size of 8 members. Averagely, the per capita expenditure per month was N3, 503.22 for respondents. The moderate poverty line for processors was found to beN2, 335.48 while the core poverty line was N 778.49 per month. The poverty headcount, poverty gap index and severity index of the respondents were 35.6, 10.4 and 4.3%, respectively. Based on result of data analysis, 35.6% of the processors were categorized as poor while 64.4% were categorized as non-poor. Age, Level of education and Household size had significant effects on poverty level of respondents. The BCR of 1.54 revealed that cassava processing is a profitable enterprise in the study area. Processors are encouraged to form cooperative groups/trade union through which they could jointly invest in modern processing facilities and organize educational workshops/seminars for member’s benefit.
M.O. Adetunji, J.A. Oladejo, J.O. Oladiran and I.K. Ojedokun, 2017. Factors Associated with Poverty Status Among Women Cassava Processors In Ogbomoso Agricultural Zone of Oyo State, Nigeria. Research Journal of Agronomy, 11: 6-11.