GENDER ISSUES ON POVERTY ALLEVIATION PROGRAMS IN NIGERIA: THE CASE OF THE NATIONAL FADAMA 1 DEVELOPMENT PROJECT IN ABIA STATE, NIGERIA

This study determined the gender issues on poverty alleviation programs: the case of the National Fadama 1 Development Programme in Abia State, Nigeria. A multi-stage random sampling technique was used in the selection of the local government areas, communities and sample size of 150 respondents (75 men and 75 females). The instrument for data collection was a well structured and pre-tested questionnaire. The result of the poverty profiles indicated that the poverty incidence of male and female Fadama1 farmers was 0.67 and 0.56, respectively. The result on the poverty gap (measures income shortfall) showed that men required 46.0% and women 48.0% of the poverty line to get out of poverty. The result also posted the Gini-coefficient (measures the extent of inequalities in income distribution) of male and female Fadama farmers to be 0.233 and 0.347, respectively. The result of the paired t-test revealed that farm size and annual Fadama farm income were statistically different and significant at 99.0% and 95.0% confidence level, respectively. The land tenure system which causes fragmentation of land should be abolished and a policy aimed at redistributing Fadama land equitably should be put in place.