ABSTRACT

This study focused on perceived effects of non-farm livelihood activities on the wellbeing of rural households in Isiala-Mbano L.G.A, Imo State Nigeria. The specific objectives of the study were to; describe the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents in the study area, identify the various types of non-farm livelihood activities practiced in the study area, determine the effect of non-farm livelihood activities on the weilbenig of the rural household in the study area, ascertain the constraints confronting rural households that make them easily fall back on these non-farm livelihood activities. Sample size of 120 respondents was chosen for this study through multi-stage random sampling techniques. Well structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Questions were based on the study objectives. Data were analyzed using frequency counts, mean, percentage and multiple regression analysis. Result of the study shows that majority of the respondents (51.6%) were aged between 31-50 years, a reasonable proportion of the respondents (27.6%) were aged 2 1-30 years, while 20.8% were aged 51-60years. The result revealed that majority (70.8%) of the respondents was married, and 76.6% of the respondents had formal education. The implication is that majority of the respondents are able to acquire better skills, accept modern skills and make informed decisions towards diversifying their economic base by engaging in non-farm livelihood activities. The expectation is that better educational attainments will have positive effects on the people's wellbeing. Results of the analysis indicate that majority (96.70%) of the respondents were primarily farmers who also engage in diverse non-farm livelihood activities. Ths shows that majority of farmers in the study area practiced one or two non-farm activities along with farming in order to improve their wellbeing. The predominant non-farm activities practiced were; trading, masonry, fashion xi designing, artisans, furniture designing, hair dressing, and so on. The regression result for X2 (educational status), X3(experience in business), Xs (value of assets procured with income generated from non-farm activity), and X6 (engaged in non-farm activity) were all statistically significant at 5% and have a direct relationship with the income of the household (proxy wellbeing). This result indicates that as the educational status increases, they tend to diversify into non- farm activities other than farming, showing that educational level (X2) has a positive effect on the wellbeing. Income also increases as experience in non-farm activities (X3) increases, indicating positive effect on the wellbeing of the respondents. The more income generated from non-farm livelihood activities, the better the wellbeing of the respondents. Also the engagement on non-farm livelihood activities(X6), increases as the income increases. Nonfarm livelihood activities has positive effect on the wellbeing of the rural household in the study area, because the income generated from them help the respondents to overcome risk due to disease outbreak, procure farm inputs, ensures better feeding, and improve on their general wellbeing. This study recommends that non-farm livelihood activities should be encouraged and that government should assists the rural households on capacity development, create enabling environment that will enhance non-farm livelihooJ activities.