Livelihood Status of Poultry Farmers in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria

Poultry production activities provide employment opportunities, income, and nourishment for the majority of Nigerians. This study assessed the livelihood status of poultry farmers in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. A total of 150 poultry farmers were randomly selected for the study using a questionnaire to collect information. The data was analyzed using frequency count, percentage, mean, standard deviation, Pearson Product-Moment Correlation (PPMC), and Multiple Regression Analysis. The results reveal that about 51.3% of the farmers have no access to veterinary services, 80.7% operate all year round, and 66% have high livelihood status. Disease outbreaks/high mortality (mean=1.57±0.60), high production costs (mean=1.53±0.62), and high temperature (mean=1.47±0.58) were the main factors affecting poultry production in the study area. The lack of adequate information/extension services on poultry production (r=-0.206), high production costs (r= -0.165), theft (r= -0.321), high feed costs (r= -0.288), and lack of credit facilities (r= -0.169) had significant and inverse relationships with the livelihood status of the farmers. The socio-economic determinants of their livelihood status were age (-0.268, p<0.05), education (3.323, p<0.05), income (-1.708, p<0.01), and access to extension services (8.625, p<0.01). The study therefore recommended the provision of veterinary services to the farmers to reduce the outbreak of disease and the high mortality rates as well provide support in the form of grants to cushion the impacts of high production costs