Abstract

The study assessed livelihood dynamics and socioeconomic status differentials of semi-urban and urban farming households in Uyo, Local Government Area (LGA), Akwa Ibom State. One hundred and thirty-one respondents were selected through a gender-based stratified proportional sampling procedure from Anua Offot (urban=81) and Ikot Oku Idio (semi-urban=50) communities of Uyo, LGA. Focus Group Discussion, house listing, interview using questionnaire and infrastructure checklist were used to collect data. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in data analysis. Thirteen major livelihood activities classified as agricultural, trading/marketing, micro processing and service-oriented were identified. There was a significant difference in the number of livelihood activities between urban and semi-urban households(p=0.0069<0.05) especially in service-oriented activities (p=0.0012<0.05).Significant differences existed in socioeconomic status between urban and semi-urban farming households (p=0.2547>0.05).Agriculture based livelihoods were dominant in urban(20.9%) and semi-urban(30%) locations while service-oriented livelihoods earned the highest mean incomes in both urban(?54,000) and semi-urban(?56,000) locations. Pair-wise ranking revealed most preferred livelihoods in both locations were as follows: men and youths (poultry production, transport business and trading on cement); youths (traditional bag manufacture and Information Communication Technologies Services) and women (agro-processing, petty trading, soap making and hair dressing). The study concluded that significant differences existed in livelihood activities and socioeconomic status between urban and semi-urban farming households in Uyo LGA, Akwa Ibom State. It was recommended that opportunities in service-oriented livelihoods be provided for farming households in both locations. Even development of the area should target location-specific livelihoods of farming households to improve their socioeconomic status and further reduce differentials.

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