Analysis of Food Consumption Pattern among Rural Fishery Households: A Panacea to Poverty Alleviation in North Central Nigeria

Abstract

A study was conducted to determine the food and non- food pattern among rural artisanal fishery households in North Central Nigeria. Data used for this study was collected from a total of three hundred and twenty rural fishery households using a multi-stage random sampling technique. The main tools of analysis include descriptive statistics, budget share index and ordinary least square regression model. The study shows that about four-fifth, 77% of total monthly expenditure of fishery households were expended on both stapled and non-stapled food. The left over, 23% comprises of payments for energy, clothing, health, education and others. The results revealed that the average age was 43 years, mean education index of 2.1 years, household size of 8 and adjusted size of 6 and average monthly income of ₦11,350. The empirical results also revealed that adjusted household size (0.138), net fishery income (0.516) and years of schooling (1.53e-05) were factors influencing food consumption among rural fishery households. The study recommends the need to assist fishermen households to improve their fishery practices and diversify their sources of income in order to be able to meet their minimum food requirement especially during the off fishing season.