Socio-Demographic Variables as Determinants of Choice of Non-Farm Rural Livelihood Patterns in Southeast Nigeria

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The study aimed at establishing relationship between the socio-demographic variables and choice of non-farm rural livelihood patterns in Southeast Nigeria. Three (3) specific objectives which guided the study are to: examine the socio-demographic variables of rural households in southeast Nigeria; identify the predominant non-farm livelihood patterns adopted by rural households in southeast Nigeria and establish the relationship between the socio-demographic variables and choice of non-farm livelihood patterns in the study area. A five (5)–stage random sampling procedure was used in the selection of the study samples. A structured and validated interview schedules designed in three parts by the researcher was the main instrument used for data collection. The statistical tools used in data analysis included mean, frequencies, percentages and ordered logit regression model. The results indicated that predominant non-farm livelihood patterns include: small-scale trading (mean = 3.00), remittances from migrated relatives (mean = 2.74), civil service (mean = 2.55) among others. Non-farm livelihood Patterns chosen by the households in the study area is significantly determined by household size (p = 0.033), age (p = -0.006) and marital status (p = -0.017). It is recommended that the various skill training and acquisition programmes in Nigeria should be reviewed and made effective by including relevant skill needs of rural people and properly targeted at members of the rural family.