Factors Affecting Livelihood Diversification Decision: The Case of Kuormuk and Homosha Districts of Assosa Zone, Beneshangul Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia

Amente Negussa Bayata; Tewodros Adane Nega

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ajpb.20200503.16

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Factors Affecting Livelihood Diversification Decision: The Case of Kuormuk and Homosha Districts of Assosa Zone, Beneshangul Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia

Amente Negussa Bayata, Tewodros Adane Nega

Published in American Journal of Plant Biology (Volume 5, Issue 3)

Received: 4 September 2020 Accepted: 19 September 2020 Published: 23 November 2020

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Abstract

Ethiopia’s agricultural productivity is considered low despite the presence of various agricultural policies. These policies focus mainly on on-farm agricultural development to the neglect of rich opportunities for non-agricultural livelihood diversification activities. Livelihood diversification is a strategy that can boost farmers’ income and promote sustainable land management practices. This study was conducted to assess the various factors that affect households’ decisions on livelihood diversifications the case of Kuormuk and Homosha districts of Assosa zone, Beneshangul Gumuz regional state, western Ethiopia. Data was gathered by household survey from 376 sample households of 13 randomly selected rural kebeles of the Homosha and Kuormuk Districts through structural questionnaires. The alternative livelihood strategies that were used by the study households were agriculture only, and agriculture plus other activities (off-farm and non-farm activities). Binary Logit model was employed in identifying the determinants of rural livelihood diversification decision. From 13 hypothesized explanatory variables, 5 variables were found to have significant effect in determining diversification of household livelihood decisions. Accordingly, age of the household head, access to credit, receiving remittance and land size have negative association with livelihood diversification strategy. Whereas, getting training has a positively influence on households choice of livelihood diversification. Therefore, the findings of this imply that rural households’ development policies should consider off-farm and non-farm livelihood activities in addition to agriculture.

Published in	American Journal of Plant Biology (Volume 5, Issue 3)
DOI	10.11648/j.ajpb.20200503.16
Page(s)	68-76
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Livelihood, Diversification, Binary Logit Regression, Ethiopia

References

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[7]	DFID (Department for International Development), 2000. Sustainable Rural Livelihoods Guidance Sheet, London, UK.
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[12]	IIRR. 2004. Food Security in Pastoralist Areas of Ethiopia. International Institute of Rural Reconstruction. Nairobi, Kenya.
[13]	Loison, S. A., & Loison, S. A. (2016). Rural livelihood diversification in Sub-Saharan Africa: A literature review. The Journal of Development Studies, 51, 1125–1138. doi: 10.1080/00220388.2015.1046445.
[14]	Nyambara, P. S., 2003. Rural Landlords, Rural Tenants, and the Sharecropping Complex in Gokwe, Northwestern Zimbabwe, 1980– 2002. University of Zimbabwe, Centre for Applied Social Sciences. Obasi, G. O. P., 1994. WMO’s role in the international decade for natural disaster reduction. Bull. Am. Meteorol. Soc. 75 (9), 1655–1661.
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[16]	Reardon, T., Delgado, C. and Malton, P. (1998). Determinants and Effects of Income Diversification amongstFarm Households in Burkina Faso. Journal of Development Studies, Vol. 28 (2).
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[18]	Saha, B., & Bahal, R. (2012). Constraints impeding livelihood diversification of farmers in West Bengal. Indian Research Journal of Extension Education, 12, 59–63.
[19]	Tesfaye Lemma, 2003. Diversity in livelihoods and farmers strategies in Hararghe highlands, Eastern Ethiopia, University of Pretoria, South Africa.
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Amente Negussa Bayata, Tewodros Adane Nega. (2020). Factors Affecting Livelihood Diversification Decision: The Case of Kuormuk and Homosha Districts of Assosa Zone, Beneshangul Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia. American Journal of Plant Biology, 5(3), 68-76. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajpb.20200503.16

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Amente Negussa Bayata; Tewodros Adane Nega. Factors Affecting Livelihood Diversification Decision: The Case of Kuormuk and Homosha Districts of Assosa Zone, Beneshangul Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia. Am. J. Plant Biol. 2020, 5(3), 68-76. doi: 10.11648/j.ajpb.20200503.16

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Amente Negussa Bayata, Tewodros Adane Nega. Factors Affecting Livelihood Diversification Decision: The Case of Kuormuk and Homosha Districts of Assosa Zone, Beneshangul Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia. Am J Plant Biol. 2020;5(3):68-76. doi: 10.11648/j.ajpb.20200503.16

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@article{10.11648/j.ajpb.20200503.16,
  author = {Amente Negussa Bayata and Tewodros Adane Nega},
  title = {Factors Affecting Livelihood Diversification Decision: The Case of Kuormuk and Homosha Districts of Assosa Zone, Beneshangul Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia},
  journal = {American Journal of Plant Biology},
  volume = {5},
  number = {3},
  pages = {68-76},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajpb.20200503.16},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajpb.20200503.16},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajpb.20200503.16},
  abstract = {Ethiopia’s agricultural productivity is considered low despite the presence of various agricultural policies. These policies focus mainly on on-farm agricultural development to the neglect of rich opportunities for non-agricultural livelihood diversification activities. Livelihood diversification is a strategy that can boost farmers’ income and promote sustainable land management practices. This study was conducted to assess the various factors that affect households’ decisions on livelihood diversifications the case of Kuormuk and Homosha districts of Assosa zone, Beneshangul Gumuz regional state, western Ethiopia. Data was gathered by household survey from 376 sample households of 13 randomly selected rural kebeles of the Homosha and Kuormuk Districts through structural questionnaires. The alternative livelihood strategies that were used by the study households were agriculture only, and agriculture plus other activities (off-farm and non-farm activities). Binary Logit model was employed in identifying the determinants of rural livelihood diversification decision. From 13 hypothesized explanatory variables, 5 variables were found to have significant effect in determining diversification of household livelihood decisions. Accordingly, age of the household head, access to credit, receiving remittance and land size have negative association with livelihood diversification strategy. Whereas, getting training has a positively influence on households choice of livelihood diversification. Therefore, the findings of this imply that rural households’ development policies should consider off-farm and non-farm livelihood activities in addition to agriculture.},
 year = {2020}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Factors Affecting Livelihood Diversification Decision: The Case of Kuormuk and Homosha Districts of Assosa Zone, Beneshangul Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia
AU  - Amente Negussa Bayata
AU  - Tewodros Adane Nega
Y1  - 2020/11/23
PY  - 2020
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajpb.20200503.16
DO  - 10.11648/j.ajpb.20200503.16
T2  - American Journal of Plant Biology
JF  - American Journal of Plant Biology
JO  - American Journal of Plant Biology
SP  - 68
EP  - 76
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2578-8337
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajpb.20200503.16
AB  - Ethiopia’s agricultural productivity is considered low despite the presence of various agricultural policies. These policies focus mainly on on-farm agricultural development to the neglect of rich opportunities for non-agricultural livelihood diversification activities. Livelihood diversification is a strategy that can boost farmers’ income and promote sustainable land management practices. This study was conducted to assess the various factors that affect households’ decisions on livelihood diversifications the case of Kuormuk and Homosha districts of Assosa zone, Beneshangul Gumuz regional state, western Ethiopia. Data was gathered by household survey from 376 sample households of 13 randomly selected rural kebeles of the Homosha and Kuormuk Districts through structural questionnaires. The alternative livelihood strategies that were used by the study households were agriculture only, and agriculture plus other activities (off-farm and non-farm activities). Binary Logit model was employed in identifying the determinants of rural livelihood diversification decision. From 13 hypothesized explanatory variables, 5 variables were found to have significant effect in determining diversification of household livelihood decisions. Accordingly, age of the household head, access to credit, receiving remittance and land size have negative association with livelihood diversification strategy. Whereas, getting training has a positively influence on households choice of livelihood diversification. Therefore, the findings of this imply that rural households’ development policies should consider off-farm and non-farm livelihood activities in addition to agriculture.
VL  - 5
IS  - 3
ER  -

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Author Information

Amente Negussa Bayata

Department of Agricultural Economics, Assosa University, Assosa, Ethiopia
Tewodros Adane Nega

Department of Agricultural Economics, Debark University, Gonder, Ethiopia

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Amente Negussa Bayata, Tewodros Adane Nega. (2020). Factors Affecting Livelihood Diversification Decision: The Case of Kuormuk and Homosha Districts of Assosa Zone, Beneshangul Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia. American Journal of Plant Biology, 5(3), 68-76. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajpb.20200503.16

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ACS Style

Amente Negussa Bayata; Tewodros Adane Nega. Factors Affecting Livelihood Diversification Decision: The Case of Kuormuk and Homosha Districts of Assosa Zone, Beneshangul Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia. Am. J. Plant Biol. 2020, 5(3), 68-76. doi: 10.11648/j.ajpb.20200503.16

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AMA Style

Amente Negussa Bayata, Tewodros Adane Nega. Factors Affecting Livelihood Diversification Decision: The Case of Kuormuk and Homosha Districts of Assosa Zone, Beneshangul Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia. Am J Plant Biol. 2020;5(3):68-76. doi: 10.11648/j.ajpb.20200503.16

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@article{10.11648/j.ajpb.20200503.16,
  author = {Amente Negussa Bayata and Tewodros Adane Nega},
  title = {Factors Affecting Livelihood Diversification Decision: The Case of Kuormuk and Homosha Districts of Assosa Zone, Beneshangul Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia},
  journal = {American Journal of Plant Biology},
  volume = {5},
  number = {3},
  pages = {68-76},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajpb.20200503.16},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajpb.20200503.16},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajpb.20200503.16},
  abstract = {Ethiopia’s agricultural productivity is considered low despite the presence of various agricultural policies. These policies focus mainly on on-farm agricultural development to the neglect of rich opportunities for non-agricultural livelihood diversification activities. Livelihood diversification is a strategy that can boost farmers’ income and promote sustainable land management practices. This study was conducted to assess the various factors that affect households’ decisions on livelihood diversifications the case of Kuormuk and Homosha districts of Assosa zone, Beneshangul Gumuz regional state, western Ethiopia. Data was gathered by household survey from 376 sample households of 13 randomly selected rural kebeles of the Homosha and Kuormuk Districts through structural questionnaires. The alternative livelihood strategies that were used by the study households were agriculture only, and agriculture plus other activities (off-farm and non-farm activities). Binary Logit model was employed in identifying the determinants of rural livelihood diversification decision. From 13 hypothesized explanatory variables, 5 variables were found to have significant effect in determining diversification of household livelihood decisions. Accordingly, age of the household head, access to credit, receiving remittance and land size have negative association with livelihood diversification strategy. Whereas, getting training has a positively influence on households choice of livelihood diversification. Therefore, the findings of this imply that rural households’ development policies should consider off-farm and non-farm livelihood activities in addition to agriculture.},
 year = {2020}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Factors Affecting Livelihood Diversification Decision: The Case of Kuormuk and Homosha Districts of Assosa Zone, Beneshangul Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia
AU  - Amente Negussa Bayata
AU  - Tewodros Adane Nega
Y1  - 2020/11/23
PY  - 2020
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajpb.20200503.16
DO  - 10.11648/j.ajpb.20200503.16
T2  - American Journal of Plant Biology
JF  - American Journal of Plant Biology
JO  - American Journal of Plant Biology
SP  - 68
EP  - 76
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2578-8337
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajpb.20200503.16
AB  - Ethiopia’s agricultural productivity is considered low despite the presence of various agricultural policies. These policies focus mainly on on-farm agricultural development to the neglect of rich opportunities for non-agricultural livelihood diversification activities. Livelihood diversification is a strategy that can boost farmers’ income and promote sustainable land management practices. This study was conducted to assess the various factors that affect households’ decisions on livelihood diversifications the case of Kuormuk and Homosha districts of Assosa zone, Beneshangul Gumuz regional state, western Ethiopia. Data was gathered by household survey from 376 sample households of 13 randomly selected rural kebeles of the Homosha and Kuormuk Districts through structural questionnaires. The alternative livelihood strategies that were used by the study households were agriculture only, and agriculture plus other activities (off-farm and non-farm activities). Binary Logit model was employed in identifying the determinants of rural livelihood diversification decision. From 13 hypothesized explanatory variables, 5 variables were found to have significant effect in determining diversification of household livelihood decisions. Accordingly, age of the household head, access to credit, receiving remittance and land size have negative association with livelihood diversification strategy. Whereas, getting training has a positively influence on households choice of livelihood diversification. Therefore, the findings of this imply that rural households’ development policies should consider off-farm and non-farm livelihood activities in addition to agriculture.
VL  - 5
IS  - 3
ER  -

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