Abstract:
This article identifies the determinants of total household income among urban farm households
in Niger Delta, Nigeria. The study was based on micro-level data from 289 randomly selected
households across the three States of the Niger Delta region, and analyzed using a simultaneous
quantile regression approach. The summary statistics showed that the average age and the mean
educational level of the respondents were 44 years and 14 years, respectively. The average farm
size was 0.79 hectare, with a mean farming experience of about 9 years. The average household
size was about 5 persons, while the mean annual farm income and the mean asset value were, N
430,370 and N 650,000, respectively. The results further showed that socio- economic variables
such as age, farm size, and asset value and non-farm income status positively and significantly
influenced farm income. While age was positive and statistically significant at the 50th and 25th
quantiles, farm size, asset value and non-farm income status were statistically significant at 25th
,
50th, 75th quantiles and also at mean. Conversely, farm location, educational level, farming
experience, household size, credit access and market proximity had negative and significant
relationships at different quantiles with farm income. It is suggested that careful integration of
these income determinants in urban development policies will no doubt improve welfare of
urban dwellers, as well as achievement of the sustainable development goals of ending poverty
and hunger. |
