LIVELIHOOD DIVERSIFICATION STRATEGY AND ITS IMPACT ON HOUSEHOLD FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY IN SELECTED DROUGHT PRONE AREAS OF SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

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.