Assessment of Poverty Profile of Fadama III Participants in Imo State, Nigeria

Poverty increases despite the poverty intervention programmes, hence the need to examine the poverty status of participating farmers in Fadama III programmes. Data were collected from a sample of 70 fadama farmers across 9 FCA using a multi-stage sampling technique and analyzed using both descriptive, inferential statistics and econometric tools. A cross of stages of commitiment and level of involvement in the programme gave a composite count of actual participation level while the ratio of the actual participation to maximum obtainable levels expressed the intensity of participation. Tobit regression model estimated the incidence of particpation while poverty was decomposed into poverty headcount (depth), gap and severity using Foster-Greer Thorbeck (FGT). Majority of the farmers were male (68.6%) with a mean age of 49.1 years and relatively higher formal education attaiment. Sever poverty is common with passive members, female and old farmers. Again, relatively larger household size and low formal educational status may trigger poverty but increased social capital, farming experience as well as reduced funding and poverty status of the farmers in Imo State increased intensity of participation at p < 0.05 critical level. Intensity of participation is reduced by 0.461 and 4.26 X10-7 unit each with a unit increase in poverty status and funding respectively but increased by 0.0434 and 0.0042 unit respectievly with increased social capital and farming experience. The study recommends the use of young, educated, experienced farmers with lower household sizes in poverty intervention programmes while government interest should center on poverty reduction to encourage participation.