Gender Differentials in Poverty among Crayfish Harvesting Households in Niger Delta Region of Nigeria

Abstract

The contribution of women in artisanal crayfish harvesting and other related fishery products (seafood) cannot be overemphasized, yet they are being un-noticed economically. This study examined empirically gender differentials in poverty among crayfish harvesting households in Niger Delta Region of Nigeria. A multi-stage and stratified random sampling techniques was employed in selecting a total of 409 (300 males and 109 females) headed crayfish harvesting households. A structured questionnaire and interview schedule survey was used for the study. FGT model was used to analyse gender differences in poverty status of the respondents while Oaxaca–Blinder (O-B) Decomposition Technique was used to decomposed poverty. The result revealed that, female harvesters are more vulnerable to poverty than their male counterparts in the region with their poverty incidence (0.59), poverty depth (0.33) and poverty severity (0.18) being higher than 0.33, 0.32 and 0.17 for males. The aggregate decomposition revealed that gender differentials gap was mostly being accounted for by coefficient component (structural or discrimination effect) than endowment component (characteristics or composition effect) and interaction effect. The detailed decomposition that explained the gender differential gap indicates that marital status, household size and income of crayfish harvesting are the major factors that explained the endowment effect while marital status, labour, income of crayfish harvesting and access to crayfish harvesting net are the factors that explained the structural effect. Additionally, the result of the analysis of poverty coping strategy use index (PCSUI) revealed that spending of saved income (8.16%), children eating first (8.15%), intensifying of the amount of work done on the crayfish fishing to increase output (8.03%), purchasing items on credit (7.98%), diversify off-fishing activities to increase income (7.50%), borrowing money for household upkeep (7.20%), reduction in food consumption (7.20%) among others were the major poverty coping strategies used in the area. The study recommended that gender equality and equity be ensure in the provision, allocation and distribution of productive (harvesting) resources/services. More so, bias and discriminatory laws, norms, belief and traditional restrictions against women should be review and repeal while hidden ones be eliminated among others.