Public Investment in Agriculture and Rural Poverty Reduction in Ebonyi State

Agriculture constitutes the primary livelihood of the majority of rural households in Ebonyi State, making public investment in the sector a central instrument for rural poverty reduction. This study investigates the relationship between state government agricultural investment and rural poverty outcomes in Ebonyi State, examining expenditure trends, programme design, and beneficiary experiences from 2020 to 2024. The study is anchored on the Structural Transformation Theory, which holds that sustained economic transformation and poverty reduction in agrarian economies require deliberate public investment to raise agricultural productivity, improve rural infrastructure, and stimulate non-farm rural income. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. The population included beneficiaries of the state agricultural development programme, rural farmers, and officials of the Ministry of Agriculture, from which 260 respondents were sampled through stratified random and purposive selection. Data were collected via questionnaires and secondary budget documents, and analysed using regression and descriptive statistics. Findings indicate that input subsidies and irrigation scheme investments have contributed to modest productivity gains, but inconsistent funding releases and exclusion of women farmers from benefit programmes limit broader poverty impacts. The study concludes that public agricultural investment has had selective benefits, concentrated among better-connected farming households. It is recommended that the state government adopt inclusive agricultural investment criteria that prioritise women and smallholder farmers and ensure consistent annual budgetary allocations to the agricultural development programme.

Keywords: Public Investment, Agriculture, Rural Poverty, Ebonyi State, Smallholder Farmers