A systematic review of the determinants of poverty among rural farming households in Nigeria

Rural farming households, which constitute the core of Nigeria’s agricultural sector, paradoxically experience poverty rates as high as 72.2% in certain regions, raising critical questions about the efficacy of agricultural engagement as a pathway to economic security. This systematic review synthesizes empirical evidence published between 2019 and 2025 to identify and analyze the demographic, economic, and institutional determinants of poverty among rural farming households in Nigeria. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a comprehensive literature search was conducted across Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Research Gate databases. Studies were included if they were peer-reviewed, focused on rural farming households in Nigeria, employed quantitative methodologies, and were published between 2019 and 2025. Twenty primary studies met the inclusion criteria. The synthesis revealed that poverty is multidimensional and context-specific, driven by advanced age, large household size, low education, female headship, small farm size, limited credit access, poor income diversification, market distance, weak cooperative participation, and insufficient farming experience, with regional variations across agro-ecological zones. Rural poverty persists through interconnected demographic, economic, and institutional constraints that sustain low productivity and deprivation. Evidence-based policies should prioritize targeted credit schemes, infrastructure development, cooperative strengthening, and value-chain diversification.