SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS AS DETERMINANTS OF POVERTY IN CRUDE OIL POLLUTED CROP FARMS IN RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA

This paper focused on use of socio-demographic factors as determinants of poverty using tobit analysis in crude oil polluted crop farms in Rivers State, Nigeria. Multistage sampling was used to obtain data from 17 local government areas. A total of 296 questionnaires were used for analysis. The results showed that dependency ratio, household size, mean adult equivalent expenditure, ratio of food expenditure to total expenditure were factors that significantly decreased incidence of poverty, while marital type, age and occupation marginally increased poverty. Increase in mean adult equivalent expenditure reduced probability of poverty by 8.66% and 6.70%; intensity of poverty by 4.31% and 4.56% in crude oil polluted and non-polluted farm-households respectively. Decrease in ratio of food expenditure to total expenditure reduced probability of poverty by 5.02% and 0.85%; intensity of poverty by 2.50% and 0.58% in crude oil polluted and non-polluted farm-households. Poverty was higher in crude oil polluted farm-households.