Abstract:
Poverty is a general feature in Ethiopia causing many sufferings to the largest proportion
of the population. This study assessed the determinants of rural household poverty in five
selected kebeles in Soro district by using the generalized linear modeling approach. With
the specific objectives of estimating rural households’ poverty status, identifying
appropriate link function, and identifying determinants of rural households’ poverty.
Primary data were obtained through structured questionnaire interview. Secondary data
were also obtained from published, unpublished materials and journals. A total of 184
selected sample households were identified by proportional allocation and sample
respondents were selected by systematic sampling technique. Based on the primary data
whereby set of consumption food energy-intake method the probability of being poor was
assessed. By using national poverty line of 2200 kcal, out of total of 184 sample
households surveyed 65.76% were found to be poor. Log-log link function is found to be
more appropriate to fit the data. Model adequacy diagnostic tests of the cook’s distance
and GLM residuals shows that there were no outliers and influential values that had
significant impact on the model results. Based on generalized linear model results, the
major determinants of rural households’ poverty were age of household heads, family size
per adult equivalent, access to credit service, dependency ratio, TLU, access to health
service, and number of oxen ownership. Hence, promoting equitable economic growth,
family planning, increasing land productivity, increasing credit service, increasing health
service, increasing TLU and promoting research extension farmer linkage are
indispensable policy interventions to better reduce rural poverty
