Abstract:
This study carried out an analysis of the rural poverty in Osun State,
Nigeria. Descriptive statistics, headcount index and the Tobit regression model
were the main tools of analysis used for this study. Data used for this study were
collected from a total of one hundred and eighty rural households using a threestage
random sampling technique. The study shows that the majority of the rural
households are married. A majority of the heads of the plural households are older
th an forty years of age and take forming as their major source of income. This study
shows that rural householdshad an average monthly per capita expenditure ofNl,
600.74 which was not affordable to 45.50% of the households. With a poverty line
estimated at N 1,067.00 monthly per capita expenditure, this study shows that
about 33% of the rural households in the study area are poor. The major factors
affecting the incidence and severity of poverty among the rural households are
rural households’ major sources of occupation, monthly income, expenditure and
household size. The study recommends the need for increased income generating
venture among the rural households.
