Abstract:
Poverty is a complex phenomenon based on a network of
interlocking economic, social, political, and demographic factors. An
understanding of the extent, nature, and determinants of rural poverty is a
precondition for effective public policy to reduce poverty in rural Pakistan.
The present study attempts to analyze the impact of socioeconomic and
demographic characteristics of households on poverty, using primary data
collected in the village of Betti Nala in Tehsil Jatoi, district Muzaffargarh
in southern Punjab. We have used two distinct approaches: (i) a poverty
profile, and (ii) an econometric approach in our empirical analysis. The
results show that household size, dependency on household, participation,
landholdings, and number of livestock have a significant impact on poverty
incidence. Our final conclusion is that efforts should be made to improve
socioeconomic factors in general and demographic factors in particular to
alleviate rural poverty in remote areas of Pakistan, while land should be
allotted to landless households.
