The ANALYSIS OF THE POVERTY STATUS OF RURAL HOUSEHOLDS INVOLVED IN HONEY PRODUCTION ACTIVITIES IN ABIA STATE, NIGERIA
Abstract
The study assessed the poverty status of rural households’involved in honey production activities in Abia state, Nigeria. Data were collected using structured questionnaire. Multistage sampling involving purposive and random sampling techniques was used in selecting one hundred and twenty (120) honeybee farmers for the study. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques andtobit regression model. The estimate of poverty profile showed that 54.17% of the respondents were non-poor using the 2/3 Per Capita Expenditure (PCE) which classified the households into Non- poor, moderately and extremely poor. The result further demonstratesthat bee farmers were actively involved in baiting,marketing, harvesting, processing and bottlingactivities and rarely involved in labeling of their products.The study also shows thatlack of credit (=5.46), lack of capital (=4.88), bee aggressiveness (=4.45), insufficient equipment (=4.26) and absconding of bees (=4.03) were the most important factors militating against honey production in the state and wereranked 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5threspectively. The tobit regression showed a Chi2value of 108.11 which was highly significant at 1% level of probability indicating goodness of fit of the tobit regression line of which four out of the eleven coefficients of the explanatory variables were highly significant at 1 % and 5% levels of probability. The coefficient for level of technical expertise, and income from propolis, were significant and negatively related to the probability and intensity of poverty at 1%level, while the coefficient forincome from beeswax and quantity of bee hives were also negative and significant at 5% level of probability. From the findings, it could be concluded that honey production is highly profitable and has a positive effect on the poverty profile of rural households involved in it. Therefore, the H0which statesthat honey production has no significant effect on the poverty status of the rural households in the study area was rejected at 5% level and the alternative accepted. The paper recommended thatgovernment should encourage bee farmers through the provision of incentives, such as credit.
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