Determinants of poverty in the cassava stick sector in the Haut Ogooué province in southeastern Gabon

Abstract

To escape poverty, Gabonese rural populations have moved overwhelmingly to the country's cities. Due to a lack of skills for better jobs, they are mostly engaged in informal activities, particularly in the agri-food sector. This study focuses on the poverty of direct actors in the cassava stick sector (CSS) in the province of Haut Ogooué (HO) in southeastern Gabon. The sample consists of 30 farmers, 157 cassava stick producers, 33 mill managers and 3 cassava paste importers. The socio-demographic, economic and poverty probability index (PPI) characteristics of these individuals were reported. Using a multivariate linear regression model with the PPI score as the dependent variable, the determinants of poverty were sought. The results show that women (90%) dominate this sector, almost a third of whom are heads of household. These actors are relatively old, poorly educated and the majority have less than 15 years of professional experience. Revenues from the activities of the CSS are used only to meet daily needs (76%). With an average PPI score of 51.9, the linked reference table indicates that 33.7% of farmers live below the poverty line. Importers of cassava pastes are less affected (2.2%). Finally, the money earned by most actors is insufficient. According to the model, it is the activity that the person does or does not perform outside this sector that determines whether this actor lives below the poverty line (P<0.05).