Poverty Status of Madagali and Michika Farm Families of Adamawa State Nigeria: Aftermath of Boko Haram Insurgency

Abstract

The study analyzed the effect multidimensional poverty of farm families in Madagali and Michika local government areas of Adamawa State, Nigeria after the Boko Haram Insurgncy of 2014. Specifically, the study described the socio-economic characteristics of the farm families and examined the multidimensional poverty status of the farm families in the study area. Multistage and simple random sampling techniques were employed in drawing 100 respondents from various communities. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Foster-Greer-Thorbecke (FGT) poverty indices. Results showed that majority (57.58%) of the farm families were females, 47.89% were aged between 20 to 29 years, 79.8% were married, 55.56% had SSCE/GCE/Teachers Grade ii, 69.47% had farming as primary occupation, 33.33% had trading as secondary occupation, 61.46% had between N1100 – 10000 as income from primary source, 56.47% had between N1100 – N10000 as income from secondary source, 95% of the respondents owned land, 91.92% owned house. Majority (48.96%) of the respondents roofed their houses with thatch while 61.22% had mud as the wall material of their house. Majority (89.55%) of the respondents used firewood as cooking fuel, 49.47% leaved in a single room apartment, 63.53% had borehole as main source of drinking water, 46.24% used uncovered pit latrine and 71% of the household leaved without electricity. Monthly income of respondents, farm size and age of household head were the determinants of food security in the study area. The Foster-Greer-Thorbecke (FGT) headcount ratio/poverty incidence (α = 0) was 0.78. The study analyzed that there were cases striking multidimensional poverty issues in the study area which call for immediate government intervention in the study area.