There have been a series of poverty intervention programmes nationally and internationally by
development institutions whose main priority is the alleviation or eradication of poverty in the
rural areas. Significant efforts have been exalted a lot of resources were committed since from
the 1980s but one major question that remain daunting is that despite the colossal amount of
resources committed to the fight of poverty yet more that two-third Nigerians are vegetating
below all of the measures that determine the poverty line. It is very clear that almost all poverty
reduction approaches in the country have not been consistent and absolutely unable or
unintended to actualize their stated objectives. This study is undertaken to empirically measure
the impact of International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) intervention programme
and the influence of the socioeconomic characteristics of rural household on the IFAD poverty
intervention in some local government areas of Sokoto state Nigeria. The study sourced data
from both primary and secondary sources. The secondary data is sourced from the review of
literature while the (primary data) cross sectional data was obtained on socioeconomic
characteristics of rural household. The data was drowned from the administration of structured
questionnaires to two hundred and ten respondents. First a Systematic sampling technique is used
in selecting the three local government areas from which to draw the samples. The second stage,
involves random sampling technique which was used in selecting seventy (70) individual rural
farmers that responded/filled the questionnaires from the selected LGAs of sokoto State. The
statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) was used applying the logistics regression model.
The results obtained indicates that majority of the respondents in the study area of sokoto state
are poor. The study also found that most of the respondents in selected rural areas of sokoto state
are uneducated and that educational attainment has a significant negative influence on rural
household poverty. The study further reveals that gender of the rural household head influences
participation in IFAD poverty reduction programme. The study further indicates that age of a
household head significantly influences participation in the IFAD poverty intervention. Assets
ownership of the rural household insignificantly affects the chances of being poor. In contrast the
study also shows that geographical location significantly and positively influences rural poverty.
In addition access to market negatively and significantly influences poverty. The study further
indicates that the level of capital expenditure does not significantly determine the likelihood of
being poor or non-poor. A number of recommendations are given with a view of improving the
impacts of IFAD poverty intervention programme. Educational attainment is one the major
determinant of escaping poverty in the rural communities. Education consequently, must be
given adequate attention. Focused on education, training and retraining of rural farmers since it
will in great extent curtail the menace of poverty with a much more positive impact. IFAD
poverty reduction programme, must give emphasis on provision of infrastructural facilities that
will provides access to the rural poor as well as given access to the market for any increase of
their farm produce. Loan application and other IFAD intervention strategy must provide
sufficient poverty reduction packages that will be efficient to increase the level of labour
employment, acquisition of large farm land, farming implements and livestock farming.