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Livelihood diversification among artisanal sand dredgers in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria
  • Fatai Sowunmi,
  • Rukayat LATEEF
Fatai Sowunmi
University of Ibadan

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Rukayat LATEEF
University of Ibadan
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Abstract

The need for sustainable livelihood is compelling many artisanal sand dredgers to engage in other economic activities to augment the income from sand dredging which is affected by the season. The study showed that most respondents (59.2%) were female while 82.6% of the respondents were married. The literacy level was low among the respondents with 43.9% had primary education. The study revealed that 86.2% of artisanal sand dredgers engaged in other economic activities. The averages of working day per week for sand dredging and other economic activities were 4.2 days and 3.0days respectively. The average income earned per month from sand dredging and other economic activities were ₦50229.27 and ₦31023.76 respectively. Sand dredging activity contributed 65.7% of the total income of respondent while other economic activities contributed 34.3%. There was fair income diversification (0.46) among respondents. Age of the respondents, household size, sand dredging income and family labour were the factors that influenced extent of livelihood diversification in the study area. The intervention of NGOs by encouraging the sand dredgers in their diversification efforts through training and retraining in small scale enterprises of their choice will help to reduce pressure on sand dredging and thus saving the aquatic habitats.