Wael Habib
General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research-
Administration of socio-economic Studies Research
Faculty of Agriculture, Aleppo University
2008

Abstract

This research aims at identifying some factors affecting rural poverty in Al-Bab district by studying major rural livelihoods of the area; calculating household income; analyzing rural livelihood patterns; and studying the socio-economic aspects of households and estimating their impact on rural poverty. Minimum poverty line in northeastern area estimated at 1287 SP/capita was adopted as poverty measure in the study area, where the percentage of poverty increased to 41% while the other poverty measures, as compared to their counterparts in rural north eastern region, declined to 1.71 and 0.092 for both poverty gap and intensity (square poverty gap) respectively. Hence, the poverty of the area was described as non-profound and non-severe (very shallow). Inequity of income allocation in the area increased according to Gene coefficient value which was estimated at 0.69.
The results have also shown an increased reliance of poor households on off-farm income sources which is 50.6% of the total household income. This percents decreased according to increasing in livelihood diversification. Households depending on off-farm employment only were the poorest; where poverty increased to 67.1%.Young households were less able to face poverty risks. Such risks also increased by increasing illiteracy rate particularly for adult females. Off-farm income sources has affected poverty occurrence, where Poverty risks of households working in manufacturing sector have decreased, while these risks increased more for those who work in agriculture. Income-generating enterprises have also reduced such risks to 8.5%. The effect of production assets relatively declined. An increase in per capita irrigated area to one dunum reduced poverty risks to 43.5% versus 45.7% with the same increase in farm holding as a whole.
Flock size has a very slight effect, where it reduced poverty risks at 49.1% with increased per capita share by one head. Considering farm factors, poverty risks have reduced to 20.8% by increasing intensification at one unit, while these risks increased to 50.4% by increasing winter cropping area by one dunum. On the other hand, the results have revealed poverty influence by agro-ecological zone, so that poverty risks relatively decreased in the 2nd and 3rd zones to 28.3% and 24.4% respectively, versus the 4th and 1st zones.