Livelihood Diversification Among Rural Households In Southwestern Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Diversification is a necessity in rural areas, where farming alone rarely provides

sufficient means of survival. Conceptualisation of livelihood diversification as plurality of

activities from past studies is too narrow. Rather, livelihood diversification should be conceived

in terms of the interplay of ability, assets and activities. Therefore, livelihood diversification

among rural households in southwestern Nigeria was investigated.

Multistage random sampling technique was used to select the respondents for the study.

Ekiti, Ogun and Osun states were selected from the six states of southwestern Nigeria. Twenty

percent of rural LGAs were selected in the respective states to give 9, 11, and 16 LGAs. Ten

percent of wards in each LGA was selected, from which 2.5% of households were selected to

give 405 respondents. Structured interview schedule was used to collect data on respondents‟

socio-economic characteristics, livelihood abilities, livelihood activities, reasons for

diversification, sources of information, livelihood assets, season of diversification, constraints

and level of diversification. Indices of livelihood abilities, activities, assets, constraints and level

of diversification were developed for categorisation of respondents. Data were analyzed using

frequency counts, percentage, means, Pearson‟s Product Moment Correlation, ANOVA, linear

and binomial regression at p = 0.05.

Respondents‟ age, household size and income were 52.3±10.9 years, 4.82±1.88 and

N18851.85±16593.65 respectively. Most (96.3%) of the respondents were males, married

(87.9%) and Christians (63.0%). Majority had farming as primary occupation (57.34%), no

formal education (62.2%) and acquired their land through inheritance (73%). Most (72.4%) of

them diversified into arable crop farming while 57.0% into off-farm activities. Majority (72.4%)

diversified for sales and consumption only while 76.3% diversified in both seasons. Sources of

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information on livelihood diversification included radio (89.9%) and relatives/friends (58.5%).

Rural households had low livelihood assets ( x =37.39±11.67) and activities ( x =3.15±1.27),

while they had high livelihood abilities ( x =63.27±12.53). Constraints to livelihood

diversification were lack of infrastructural facilities (91.9%), inadequate livelihood assets

(82.0%) and poor transportation system (66.9%). Respondents‟ level of livelihood diversification

was significantly increased by primary occupation (β=0.64), income from farming (β = 0.16),

length of stay (β = 0.28) and income from non-farm activities (β = 0.13). Significant relationship

existed between constraints (r=-0.130) and level of livelihood diversification. However,

frequency of visits to urban centres (β = -0.25) significantly reduced respondents‟ level of

livelihood diversification. Livelihood assets (F = 35.095), activities (F = 2.891) and level of

livelihood diversification (F = 6.075) were also significantly different across the states.

Livelihood diversification was significantly influenced by livelihood ability (β = 0.860), assets (β

= 0.29) and activities (β = 0.09) among rural households across the states.

Level of livelihood diversification of rural households was low, in spite of their high

level of livelihood abilities. Differences in level of livelihood assets and activities accounted for

non-uniform level of livelihood diversification across the states. Therefore, enhanced livelihood

assets and uniformity in rural development initiative could improve livelihood diversification of

rural households in southwestern Nigeria.