ABSTRACT
Poverty, a global phenomenon transcends regions and boundaries. With this outlook, this study looks at the Nigerian poverty scene, analyzing the poverty status of the artisanal fisher folks using Delta State, as the case study with the specific aim of determining the incidence, depth and severity of their poverty level as well as examining the determinants of the fishers’ poverty status.
Using a multistage sampling procedure, primary data were obtained from 430 artisanal fish farmers; the data collected were analyzed using some descriptive statistics and analytical tools such as Fractional Multinomial Logit (FML), asset wellbeing measurement using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and a Wealth Index Measure, Foster-Greer Thorbecke (FGT) model and Probit Model, to analyse the poverty status of the artisanal fisherfolks. The study also looked at some poverty coping strategies used to combat poverty as well as some constraints faced by the farmers.
Results of expenditure pattern showed that artisanal fish farmers expended about 80% of their income on basic necessities of life with food expenses taking up to 75% of the total expenditure while the FML model showed that more conditional income was expended on carbohydrate followed by protein foods. The PCA showed that type of building, energy source, physical assets ownership, water sourcing and means of mobility were the five important factors that influenced the Wealth Index (WI). The WI in turn showed 55% of the fishers to be well endowed and 45% to be poorly endowed. The result from the Foster Greer Thorbecke Model of Poverty showed that 51% of the Fisherfolks were under the poverty line and the poorest in the State were the widowed Fishers in Delta Central Zone with 100% poverty rate, 84.7% poverty depth and 71.9% severity of poverty. The result from the probit estimates showed the major determinants of the poverty status of the artisanal fish farmers in Delta State are marital status, education, age, experience, and household size. Eating less preferred food (14.38%), reducing the frequency of eating a day (14.27%), and taking children to cheaper schools (13.06%), were the foremost strategies adopted to cope with poverty in the area. Inadequate capital (3.93), inadequate fish inputs (3.84) and high cost of fuel (3.61) were the most severe constraints faced by the artisanal fisher folks. In conclusion, the artisanal fisher folks in Delta State are mainly in the trade for sustenance and not to increase the sectors’ contribution to the Nations’ GDP.
