Impact of Livelihood Diversification on Rural Households’ Food and Nutrition Security: Evidence from West Shoa Zone of Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia
Background: Food and nutrition insecurities continue to be significant issues for communities in developed and developing countries, even when there are plentiful harvests. In Ethiopia, climate change and other human-induced challenges are key factors contributing to this insecurity. Research and de...
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Elsevier
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Current Developments in Nutrition |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2475299124024557 |
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| author | Firafis Haile Jema Haji Mohamed Chanaylew Seyoum Aweke Terefe Tolessa Muleta |
| author_facet | Firafis Haile Jema Haji Mohamed Chanaylew Seyoum Aweke Terefe Tolessa Muleta |
| author_sort | Firafis Haile |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Food and nutrition insecurities continue to be significant issues for communities in developed and developing countries, even when there are plentiful harvests. In Ethiopia, climate change and other human-induced challenges are key factors contributing to this insecurity. Research and development experts suggest that implementing sustainable livelihood diversification strategies could be a viable solution. Objectives: The objective of the study was to analyze the determinants of choice of livelihood diversification strategies and its impact on food and nutrition security among smallholder farmers in the West Shoa zone, Oromia region, Ethiopia. Methods: The research employed quantitative approaches for data gathering and analysis. A multistage sampling method was utilized to choose the study locations. A total of 385 smallholder farming households (215 diversifiers and 170 nondiversifiers) were randomly chosen as participants from the 2 districts and 7 rural villages in the area. Descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, and cross-tabs) and econometric models [multinomial logit model and multinomial endogenous switching regression (MESR) model] were employed to analyze the quantitative data. Results: More than half (56%) of the farming households were able to diversify their livelihoods, whereas the remaining 44% were unable to do so, indicating a lack of means to engage in any form of livelihood diversification activity beyond agriculture. The results of the multinomial logit regression model revealed that various factors such as gender, age, family size, education level, farm experience, social norms, land ownership, livestock possession, access to credit, access to extension services, working capital, government policies, climate variability, livelihood training, and proximity to markets significantly influenced smallholder farming households’ choices and adoption of diversification strategies. The MESR model demonstrated that engaging in farming and off-farming activities could increase food and nutrition security for farm households by 74.6% and 33.3%, respectively. Similarly, participating in farming and nonfarming activities was associated with a 71.3% improvement in food security and a 42.3% enhancement in nutrition security. However, combining farming with both nonfarm and off-farm activities did not have a significant impact on food security, but it did lead to a 15.2% increase in nutrition security. Conclusions: Involving smallholder farmers in livelihood diversification reduces poverty, food insecurity, and unemployment. This study shows that diversifying livelihoods positively impacts food and nutrition security by enabling farmers to produce more for consumption and income generation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4e52ebe3d13646bb96dddb508175c83c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2475-2991 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
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| series | Current Developments in Nutrition |
| spelling | doaj-art-4e52ebe3d13646bb96dddb508175c83c2025-01-23T05:27:31ZengElsevierCurrent Developments in Nutrition2475-29912025-01-0191104521Impact of Livelihood Diversification on Rural Households’ Food and Nutrition Security: Evidence from West Shoa Zone of Oromia Regional State, EthiopiaFirafis Haile0Jema Haji Mohamed1Chanaylew Seyoum Aweke2Terefe Tolessa Muleta3School of Rural Development and Agricultural Innovation, Haramaya University, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia; Corresponding author.School of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, Haramaya University, Dire Dawa, EthiopiaSchool of Rural Development and Agricultural Innovation, Haramaya University, Dire Dawa, EthiopiaSchool of Natural Resource, Ambo University, Ambo, EthiopiaBackground: Food and nutrition insecurities continue to be significant issues for communities in developed and developing countries, even when there are plentiful harvests. In Ethiopia, climate change and other human-induced challenges are key factors contributing to this insecurity. Research and development experts suggest that implementing sustainable livelihood diversification strategies could be a viable solution. Objectives: The objective of the study was to analyze the determinants of choice of livelihood diversification strategies and its impact on food and nutrition security among smallholder farmers in the West Shoa zone, Oromia region, Ethiopia. Methods: The research employed quantitative approaches for data gathering and analysis. A multistage sampling method was utilized to choose the study locations. A total of 385 smallholder farming households (215 diversifiers and 170 nondiversifiers) were randomly chosen as participants from the 2 districts and 7 rural villages in the area. Descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, and cross-tabs) and econometric models [multinomial logit model and multinomial endogenous switching regression (MESR) model] were employed to analyze the quantitative data. Results: More than half (56%) of the farming households were able to diversify their livelihoods, whereas the remaining 44% were unable to do so, indicating a lack of means to engage in any form of livelihood diversification activity beyond agriculture. The results of the multinomial logit regression model revealed that various factors such as gender, age, family size, education level, farm experience, social norms, land ownership, livestock possession, access to credit, access to extension services, working capital, government policies, climate variability, livelihood training, and proximity to markets significantly influenced smallholder farming households’ choices and adoption of diversification strategies. The MESR model demonstrated that engaging in farming and off-farming activities could increase food and nutrition security for farm households by 74.6% and 33.3%, respectively. Similarly, participating in farming and nonfarming activities was associated with a 71.3% improvement in food security and a 42.3% enhancement in nutrition security. However, combining farming with both nonfarm and off-farm activities did not have a significant impact on food security, but it did lead to a 15.2% increase in nutrition security. Conclusions: Involving smallholder farmers in livelihood diversification reduces poverty, food insecurity, and unemployment. This study shows that diversifying livelihoods positively impacts food and nutrition security by enabling farmers to produce more for consumption and income generation.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2475299124024557food securitymultinomial endogenous switching regressionnonfarm diversificationoff-farm diversificationnutrition security |
| spellingShingle | Firafis Haile Jema Haji Mohamed Chanaylew Seyoum Aweke Terefe Tolessa Muleta Impact of Livelihood Diversification on Rural Households’ Food and Nutrition Security: Evidence from West Shoa Zone of Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia Current Developments in Nutrition food security multinomial endogenous switching regression nonfarm diversification off-farm diversification nutrition security |
| title | Impact of Livelihood Diversification on Rural Households’ Food and Nutrition Security: Evidence from West Shoa Zone of Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia |
| title_full | Impact of Livelihood Diversification on Rural Households’ Food and Nutrition Security: Evidence from West Shoa Zone of Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia |
| title_fullStr | Impact of Livelihood Diversification on Rural Households’ Food and Nutrition Security: Evidence from West Shoa Zone of Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of Livelihood Diversification on Rural Households’ Food and Nutrition Security: Evidence from West Shoa Zone of Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia |
| title_short | Impact of Livelihood Diversification on Rural Households’ Food and Nutrition Security: Evidence from West Shoa Zone of Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia |
| title_sort | impact of livelihood diversification on rural households food and nutrition security evidence from west shoa zone of oromia regional state ethiopia |
| topic | food security multinomial endogenous switching regression nonfarm diversification off-farm diversification nutrition security |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2475299124024557 |
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