Abstract
Assessment of Welfare Status of Bushmeat Traders in the Post-Ebola Era in Kwara State, Nigeria
Abraham Falola, Oluwafemi Olajide Ajewole, Toyin Benedict Ajibade, Rilwan Moyosore Abdul
Bushmeat enterprise is an activity with the potential to improve household
livelihood. However, the Ebola virus disease outbreak in Nigeria in 2014
altered the business. This study assessed the welfare status of 134 bushmeat
traders in three agro-ecological zones in Kwara State, Nigeria. This study used
the descriptive design. The purposive sampling technique in the selection of
respondents and the stratified random sampling in selecting the markets from
the zones were used. The proportion of bushmeat sellers in each market
determined the number of respondents selected per zone. Descriptive statistics,
FGT (Foster, Greer, and Thorbecke) index and the multiple regression model
were the tools of analysis. The results revealed that majority of bushmeat
sellers were women, constituting 59.7% of the population. The mean per capita
expenditure of the household was ₦14,004, and breakdown of the consumption
expenditure showed that food represents the highest share (28.53%).
The FGT index revealed that 35.8% of the sampled bushmeat traders were
poor. Determinants of welfare status of traders were their total household size,
years of experience, income from bushmeat sales, and revenue from other
sources. This study suggests measures needed to improve the welfare status of
bushmeat traders in the study area considering the effect Ebola outbreak had on
their well-being.
KEYWORDS: expenditure, household, income, livelihood, well-being
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