Abstract:
This research was conducted in purposively selected eight drought prone kebeles of Amaro and Burji
woredas of the Southern Ethiopia Region. The study aimed at assessing the determinants and impact of
livelihood diversification strategies on household food and nutrition security statuses. Eight drought
prone kebeles (i.e 4 from Amaro and 4 from Burji/ were selected from the woina dega and kola agro
climatic zones using stratified sampling method and Proportional Probability Sampling technique.
Using Cochran formula, 384 households (i.e 205 from Amaro and 179 from Burji) were chosen as
respondent for the survey through systematic random sampling method and Proportional Probability
Sampling (PPS) technique. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from primary and
secondary sources using survey questionnaire, focus group discussion and key informants‟ interview.
Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, inferential statistics and econometrics models
(multinomial logit, ordered logit and endogenous switching regression models). The results showed
that, 34.9%, 11.5%, 47.9%, and 5.7% of households have engaged in on-farm harm only, on-farm plus
off-farm, on-farm plus non-farm, and on-farm plus off-farm plus non-farm livelihood diversification
strategies respectively. About 16.7%, 23.4%, 16.1%, and 43.8% of households were grouped under the
severely food insecure, moderately food insecure, mildly food and food secure categories respectively.
Regarding their nutritional status, 42.7% 25.8% and 31.5% were categorized under the low, medium
and high dietary diversity statuses respectively. While analyzed using the food consumption score,
41.1%, 29.2% and 29.7% of them were grouped under the poor, borderline and acceptable food
consumption statuses respectively. Household choice of livelihood strategies in the study area
significantly determined by education level of the household head, family size, livestock holding, total
annual income, loss of yield due to drought hazard, distance to market, access to irrigation, extension
contact and access to credit. On the other hand, education level of the household head, family size,
livestock holding, loss of yield due to drought hazard, access to irrigation, extension contact, access to
training, access to credit, and total annual income significantly determined household food and
nutrition security statuses in the study area. The result of the endogenous switching regression
econometric model showed that, the treatment effect of household livelihood diversification strategies
on food and nutrition security is greater for farm households that diversified their livelihood strategy
compared to those not diversified. Hence, the study pointed out that, diversification of livelihood
strategy is an alternative option for households to improve their food and nutrition security statuses
particularly in in drought prone areas.
