Abstract: Crop production in Nigeria is plagued by frequent and unpredictable climatic conditions such as drought, torrential rainfall and flooding. Using farming households’ survey data from a sample of 165 each from Shiroro dam (SD) participating and non-participating farmers, this paper assesses the effect of the dam on sustainable livelihood and poverty status of farmers in Niger state, Nigeria. Foster-Greer-Thorbeecke (FGT) index, Tobit regression, Propensity Score Matching (PSM) and Z-test models were used to achieve the objectives of the study. The regression coefficients estimated revealed that the farm size (0.009), extension contact (0.300), level of investment (-0.511), level of training (0.005), per capita expenditure (0.490) and market access (0.286) were statistically significant factors affecting livelihood security status of Shiroro dam farmers (SDF) at different levels of probability. Likewise, the regression result of poverty status showed that farm size (-0.1e-4), extension contact (-0.641), level of investment (0.008), household size (0.412), per capita expenditure (-0.008) and market access (-0.344) were statistically significant factors affecting the SDF at different levels of probability. In line with apriori expectation, the impact analysis using Z-test, PSM and LATE models indicated a statistically significant and positive impact of the project on livelihood and poverty alleviation of farmers that are utilizing Shiroro dam for farming activities. It is suggested that more irrigation facilities should be built to guarantee agricultural production in both wet and dry seasons to encourage all year farming and to catalyze statistically significant socio-economic variables, and transformation of rural masses and alleviate their poverty status.
Key words: Crop production, Poverty alleviation, Shiroro dam, Sustainable livelihood, Nigeria