Objective:
The objective of this Poverty Mapping project is to put all information about the 90 LEEMP participating communities in a database using the GIS format for ease of reference and analysis. The database can thereafter be queried for poverty indices of participating communities or aggregated for any individual participating LGA. The project also includes a training component for selected LEEMP staff members to operate, manage and update the database from time to time.

Executive Summary:
The Local Empowerment and Environmental Management Project (LEEMP) based in Niger State awarded the contract of poverty mapping to GeoAfrica Environmental Managers Limited (GEML). The project was designed to use poverty indicators to determine any positive effects LEEMP interventions would have on the communities in relation to the poverty reduction policy of the government. GEML was required to develop a database using geographical information system (GIS) that could be updated to map and monitor poverty indices in LEEMP communities over time. For ease of data collection and analyses, the State was divided into three zones corresponding to the senatorial districts of the State.

Consequent upon signing of contract GEML proceeded to execute the contract in accordance with the Terms of Reference (TOR) and best practices. The database was developed in two platforms using Microsoft Access and ArcGIS software. The poverty index was structured in such a way that the lowest value in the rank indicates a high poverty level while the high index value indicates higher standard of living that corresponds to lower poverty level.

The values of basket of good index show that the least developed communities are found in Edati local government area (LGA) having an index value of 0.1. On the other hand communities in Mashegu, Wushishi and Katchia all have basket of goods index value of 0.2 each. However Mokwa and Rijau have higher values of the index. The household poverty level is moderate in most of the communities. While the poverty index on expenditure is relatively high for most communities, the index on income is very low in all the communities. The well being index is high in zone B which reflects urban based economy. The residents in these communities are more educated and have access to better opportunities than those in zones A and C. The inhabitants in Zone C are the worst off in the well being index, but are higher in the expenditure index.

The locations of LEEMP intervention projects are evenly distributed within each selected local government area, except in Mashegu LGA where most of the projects are located in the northern and northeastern part of the LGA. It is noteworthy that Mashegu local government is the largest local government in the intervention project areas.

The level of intervention projects in the selected communities in the local government has some relationships with the household poverty conditions of the community. Most of the areas where LEEMP had significant presence have comparatively higher well being index values. Though very subtle and too early to measure, the LEEMP intervention projects have considerable positive influence in improving the socio-economic indices of the communities. The rate of completion of these projects also reflects the potentials of public private partnership in community development and upgrading the status of rural areas in Nigeria.

See also:
     Identification, Delineation and Digital Mapping for Solid Waste Management in Gombe State (2008)