GASPRO International Journal of Eminent Scholars

ABSTRACT This study examined the recommended strategies for poverty reduction among rural women in Akwa Ibom State Nigeria. To give the study a direction, research questions were formulated based on the identified poverty reduction strategies adopted by these women via income generation activities, financial interest accumulation, joint farm labour and group visitations with gifts. Relevant literature was reviewed with theoretical framework to concretize the study. The major instrument used for data collection was a 20 — item structured questionnaire entitled; “poverty reduction evaluation questionnaire (PREQ)” as the primary data used to elicit questions from the response in the likert scale. The multi-stage sampling technique was adopted to select respondents for the study (cluster, purposive and simple random). The population of the study was 12 (out of 650) registered rural-based women organizations with Akwa Ibom State ministry of women affairs as reflected in the three Senatorial Districts of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. A sample of three hundred and sixty (360) respondents from 12 organizations was proportionally and randomly selected for the study. Two null hypotheses were formulated and all the formulated hypotheses were tested using population t-test analysis statistical instrument. The result of the findings from testing shows that all the two null hypotheses were rejected. It was therefore concluded among others that since poverty reduction strategies adopted by RBWOs are highly significant in reduction of poverty in Akwa Ibom State, that government should motivate women through soft loan to encourage the women to do more. KEYWORDS: Poverty reduction, Rural-Based Women organizations (RBWOs), Akwa Ibom