Socioeconomic Determinants of Livestock Keeping and Its Contribution to Household Livelihood Security in Rural North East Nigeria

This study examines the socioeconomic determinants of livestock keeping and quantifies livestock contributions to household livelihood security in rural communities of North East Nigeria, using evidence from Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa States. North East Nigeria's rural economies are heavily livestock-dependent, and the region has experienced severe livestock losses from conflict, drought, and disease, with profound livelihood consequences. Understanding the determinants of livestock holding and their contribution to livelihood security is essential for designing effective rural recovery programmes. This study uses panel household survey data from 450 rural households surveyed in 2021 and 2023, documenting livestock species held, herd sizes, management systems, livestock income components, and household food security status. Livelihood security is measured using consumption expenditure, food insecurity experience scale scores, and asset wealth index. Panel regression and propensity score matching estimate the causal contribution of livestock holding to livelihood security. Multinomial logit analysis identifies socioeconomic determinants of livestock species choice. Findings reveal that livestock income accounts for an average of 52 percent of total household income in the sampled communities. Livestock holding significantly improves household food security scores and consumption expenditure after controlling for selection effects. Wealthier households hold larger livestock assets, but even poor households with small poultry and small ruminant holdings show measurable livelihood advantages. Conflict exposure is the strongest negative determinant of livestock herd size, explaining 42 percent of herd size variance. The study recommends conflict-sensitive livestock restocking programmes as a priority recovery intervention.

Keywords: livestock livelihood security, North East Nigeria, conflict recovery, household income, rural communities.