Rural Development Studies
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Item Comparative Study of Household Food security, Under Five Children Nutritional Status, and Dietary Diversity Between Selected Coffee and Wheat Growers of Ethiopia(Addis Ababa University, 2024-06) Mequanent Muche; Degefa Tolossa.(PhD)Ethiopia, among the world's least developed nations, faces widespread food insecurity in its rural areas. Coffee and wheat are crucial crops, serving as cash and staple foods, respectively, yet their impact on household food security, the nutritional status of under-five children, and dietary diversity remain inadequately studied. This research focused on the Dodota district wheat farmers and the Gomma district coffee growers, examining the current status and the determinants of these factors. A total of 370 rural households were surveyed to assess food security, with 226 households further analyzed to understand the nutritional status and dietary diversity of under-five children in these agricultural contexts. The study employed a mixed research design and pragmatist philosophy, utilizing household surveys, focus groups, and key informant interviews. Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) measured food insecurity, while nutritional status and dietary diversity were assessed through anthropometric measures and a dietary diversity score based on eight food groups, respectively. Findings revealed prevalence rates of stunting (19%), wasting (21.2%), and underweight (17.2%) among under-five children across all households. Factors such as birth order, child sex, exclusive breastfeeding, meal frequency, maternal education, and awareness of child nutrition significantly influenced these outcomes in both wheat and coffee-growing households. Maternal employment status, dietary diversity, and nutritional awareness were significant predictors of child BMI and wasting in wheat-growing households. Regarding dietary patterns, a substantial majority (79.6%) of children consumed grains, nuts, and tubers, followed by milk and milk products (60.6%), foods cooked in oil (60.2%), and eggs (46.9%). Determinants of household food security and child dietary diversity were identified using an ordered logit econometric model, highlighting that 43.2% of households were food secure, with the majority of food-insecure households (60.5%) found among coffee growers. Factors such as educational level, land degradation, market access, agricultural advisory services, credit access, household occupation, annual farm income, and asset values significantly influenced food security status and child dietary diversity among wheat and coffee growers. These findings underscore the need for integrated development policies addressing demographic, socioeconomic, and institutional aspects specific to wheat and coffee producers to ensure household food security and improve child nutrition outcomes along with improved dietary diversity.Item Cause and Effects of Outmigration on Rural Livilhoods in Ofla District Southern Tigray, Ethiopia(Addis Ababa University, 2024-06) Nigus Birhanu; Abiyot Teklu (PhD)The study has assessed to the causes and effects of out migration on rural livelihoods. In developing countries like Ethiopia rural-urban migration affects socio-economic realities in both urban and rural areas. This study aims identifying the causes and effects of out migration on rural livelihoods in Ofla district southern zone, Tigray region. Both primary and secondary data were employed and were analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively by using SPSS version 20. Primary data were collected from 90 nonmigrant and 66 migrant member households. There are many causes for the movement of the people to the town. Among them the search for job, to gain education and training, and problem related with land and agricultural productivity was the major one. The finding of the research showed that the economic reasons are greater than none economic reasons. Rural push factors have stronger than urban pulling factors. In general, the high flow of migrants to Korem has accentuated different socio-economic and demographic problem on the regions of origin and destination.Item Impact of Urbanization on Rural Livelihoods: Evidence from Peripheral Areas of Adama City, Oromia Region, Ethiopia(Addis Ababa University, 2024-04) Wakitole Dadi; Mesay Mulugeta (PhD); Negussie Simie (PhD)Urbanization poses significant challenges for public policy in developing countries, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, where rapid growth rates have been observed. This study aims to investigate the impact of urbanization on the livelihoods of farm households in the Adama Woreda of Oromia Regional State. The study adopts a pragmatic philosophical approach to examine the socio-economic impacts of urbanization on farm households in the study area, with a focus on practical implications for urban policy in Sub-Saharan Africa. The study utilizes a comparative analysis of two groups of farm households based on their proximity to the urban center. Families residing close to urban areas are categorized as the treated group and are compared to households located far away. A total of 397 households were selected for the study using a multistage sampling technique, with 148 households near the urban center and 249 households situated significantly far from the urban area. Descriptive and inferential data analysis techniques are employed, including the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) and remote sensing tools to extract relevant information on land use and land cover changes in the study area from 1986 to 2022. Furthermore, the study applies ordered logistic regression, multinomial logistic regression, and propensity score matching models to analyze the perceived effects of urbanization on rural farm households near urban areas, the effects of urbanization on their income diversification, and the overall impact on the consumption expenditure of households near urban areas, respectively. The findings reveal significant changes in land use and land cover in the study area over the examined period, with a substantial increase in built-up areas by 4750 hectares and a decrease in agricultural land by 3033 hectares. Urbanization is identified as a key factor contributing to these changes, leading to divergent perceptions among farm households in the study area. While those located further away perceive urbanization positively with mean value of 3.25, households near urban centers hold negative perceptions with mean value 2.47. The ordered logistic regression analyses indicate that distance from the urban center; educational status, family size, and farmland availability significantly influence the perception of urbanization by farm households near urban areas. The finding shows that increasing urbanization by one unit causes a decrease in farming activities by 40%, and farming and non-farm activities increase by 35%. The result also indicated that households with higher-aged and larger family sizes were more likely to diversify their income to unskilled non-farm activities. Furthermore, the research reveals that urbanization limits the income-generation capacity of farming households, necessitating their reliance on less remunerative non-farm income-generating activities. As a result, the average annual consumption expenditure per adult equivalent for rural farm households near urban areas is 2562.55 ETB, indicating a lower expenditure compared to rural households residing far from urban areas. The findings of the study align with dependency theory, indicating an increasing economic reliance of rural households on urban areas, exacerbating disparities and fostering rural dependency. Additionally, these outcomes support the Impoverishment Risks and Reconstruction model of Cernea, which states that smallholder farmers evicted from their farmland are subject to acute poverty. In light of these findings, effective land management policies and a comprehensive understanding of the impacts of urban growth on rural farm households are crucial. Policymakers and stakeholders should prioritize the concerns and perceptions of rural farmers when planning urbanization projects and emphasize the need for policies that mitigate farmland loss while addressing socioeconomic factors affecting farmers in the region. This approach is essential to achieve sustainable food security and poverty reduction.Item Adoption of Improved Soybean Varieties and the Impact on Productivity and Income of Smallholder Farmers in Pawe District, Benishangul Gumuz Region, Ethiopia(Addis Ababa University, 2024-06) Yaregal Fekadu; Alemu Azmeraw (PhD)This study aims to identify the determinants of adoption of improved soybean varieties in Pawe district, and subsequently assess the factors influencing the intensity of adoption of the technology. About, 308- sample households were selected using systematic random sampling techniques. The data were obtained mainly from a survey of sampled soybean grower households’ via structured interview, and was supported by key informant interviews. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square, t-test, One-way ANOVA, and Double-hurdle model were employed to analyze the data. Two sets of determinants were found out by the results of the double hurdle model. First-hurdle of the double hurdle model result revealed the determinants of the adoption decision of improved soybean varieties that included frequency of extension contact, agricultural training, field day participation and annul income having positive effects on the stated variables. On the other hand distances to the market and farm size were found to be determinants that have negative effects. The second-hurdle result also denoted determinants with positive effects on adoption intensity of improved soybean varieties that include credit access, soybean productivity and TLU. The research also explored the perceptions of farmers on the technologies assessed. In view of this, it was found out that farmers perceived high yielding potential, branching, drought resistance, resistant to shattering character, marketability, seed size and better prices are the key attributes of improved soybean varieties, whereas straw biomass and disease resistant were perceived as less importance attributes. Finally, the ESRM result shows that, adoption of improved soybean varieties significantly increased the adopters’ average improved soybean productivity/ha by 2.365 quintal and 13897.07 ETB net incomes respectively. Therefore, to achieve sustainable production with high value addition and a viable value chain for soybeans, growers should be given access to enhanced soybean technology together with fully recommended packages, and relationships between actors should be strengthened.Item Rural Livelihood Diversification and Its Contribution to Child Poverty Reduction in Ethiopia: The Case of West Arsi Zone, Arsi Negele Woreda, Oromia Region Ethiopia(Addis Ababa University, 2024-06) Bogale Gebeyehu; Bamlaku Alamirew (PhD, Associate Professor); Bezabih Emana (PhD)The concept of livelihood diversification and its relationship with child poverty is a critical issue that affects many families and communities around the world. When considering the relationship between livelihood diversification and child poverty, it is important to recognize that the economic well-being of a household has a direct impact on the welfare of the children within that household. This study examines the status of livelihood diversification and its contribution to child poverty reduction in the Arsi Negele Woreda of Ethiopia. It explores the determinants of livelihood strategies, the state of child poverty, the linkages between household livelihood diversification and multidimensional child poverty, and the linkages between livelihood diversification and child dietary diversity. The study used a multistage sampling procedure to collect cross-sectional data using a semi-structured questionnaire. Household survey questionnaires, child dietary diversity questionnaires and key formant interviews were used to collect primary data from the total sample size of 401 households. STATA software version 16 and SPSS version 25 were used to analyze data. Descriptive and inferential statistics and econometric models were used to analyze data. The Simpson Diversity Index was used to measure the extent of livelihood diversification, and a multinomial logistic regression model was employed to identify the determinants of livelihood strategy choices. The multidimensional poverty measurement approach was used to analyze child poverty, with the multidimensional deprivation headcount measuring the number of children deprived in at least one-third of the weighted indicators. The ordered probit model was used to analyze the factors influencing children's dietary diversity. The descriptive results showed that the majority of households (56%) in the study area were engaged in highly diversified livelihood activities; while maize is the most important cereal crop, accounting for about 34% of crop production in the study area. Other major crops include wheat (31%), teff (22%), barley (3%), and sorghum (1%). The Simpson diversity index results showed that about 62% of households did not diversify their livelihoods while the remaining 38% of households were engaging in multiple livelihood activities. On-farm activities contribute the highest share (41.9%) to household livelihoods, followed by combinations of on-farm and non-farm (26.43%), and on-farm and off-farm (20.2%) activities. The result from the multidimensional poverty analysis showed that 85% of children from the sampled households were multidimensionally poor. Various factors were found to affect child dietary diversity. Children from female-headed households were less likely to consume a highly diverse diet, with a 37.5% lower probability of having high dietary diversity compared to those in male-headed households. Similarly, children from older households head have less probability of consuming a highly diversified diet. The study highlights the challenges and trade-offs associated with livelihood diversification, such as access to resources, market opportunities, and the potential for a lack of specialization. It also highlights the need for targeted policies and interventions to address the multidimensional nature of child poverty in Ethiopia, focusing on improving access to education, healthcare, nutrition, and basic services like water, sanitation, and energy. It is important to consider household livelihood strategies and socioeconomic characteristics when designing interventions to improve child nutrition and dietary diversity in rural Ethiopia.Item Rural Outmigration as a Livelihood Strategy to Households: A Study from Ankasha District of Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia(Addis Ababa University, 2024-05) Chalachew Arega; Degefa Tolossa (Professor); Eshetu Gurmu (Professor)This dissertation investigates the significance of rural-out migration as a means for rural households in Ankasha District of Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia to diversify their livelihood incomes. Employing a cross-sectional design, the study covers a sample of 740 randomly selected households from six Kebeles in Ankasha District, Amhara Region, Ethiopia. The Berger Parker method was used to calculate the livelihood strategy index, and the Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition of linear regression was performed to compare strategies between the two groups. Moreover, binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify the key factors in migration decisions. Furthermore, the study employed ordinary least squares regression to analyze the impact of outmigration on asset-based wealth, agricultural input expenditure, and health and education spending for left-behind household members. The findings indicate that migrant-sending households display higher livelihood income diversification, which can be attributed to wealth disparities. Younger household heads face challenges in implementing effective strategies, and the elimination of wealth disparities exacerbates this gap. Furthermore, the study reveals that migration decisions are largely made collectively within households, influenced by factors such as household composition, structure, the age of the household head, and economic deprivation. Moreover, the research highlights the vital role of migration networks for migrant-sending households’ association with household size, formal education, and length of stay at the destination influencing the likelihood of establishing a stronger network. The study also demonstrates that outmigration has positive effects on investments in health and agricultural inputs, although these effects diminish in multivariable analysis. Migrant sending status significantly impacts asset-based wealth, and possessing more land and earning income from other sources enhances both asset-based wealth and agricultural input expenditure. Overall, the findings underscore the importance of rural-out migration as a strategy for diversifying households’ income in rural Ethiopia. The research emphasizes the need for policies that improve economic conditions, address wealth disparities, and enhance household capabilities in addressing challenges. Furthermore, the study calls for comprehensive analysis and the examination of migration within a broader context of the development agenda, utilizing more reliable longitudinal data.Item Analysis of Maize Innovation System: Linking System, Social Network and Scaling Perspectives(Addis Ababa University, 2024-05) Daniel Nigussie; Getnet Alemu Zewdu (PhD); Million Getnet Gebreyes (PhD) -In recent decades, innovation generation, dissemination, and utilization have experienced significant paradigm shifts, increasingly incorporating a systems perspective. This research aims to identify the systemic issues and factors related to socio-technical transitions that impede the production, distribution, and adoption of improved maize varieties in Ethiopia. Additionally, it examines the various actors involved and their interactions at different levels within this context. The study also assesses institutional approaches for scaling up and systematically explores the barriers to the adoption and scaling up of improved maize varieties in Ethiopia. To achieve these objectives, primary data were collected through structured and semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions, which were then analyzed thematically. The findings reveal several major obstacles to the system's functioning, including systemic failures such as the absence of key actors, institutional issues, a lack of interaction among actors, and inadequate infrastructure. Three specific functions—entrepreneurship, knowledge development, and establishing legitimacy—were found to be weaker for improved maize varieties released by Pioneer Hi-Bred Seeds Ethiopia Plc., but stronger for those released by public research centers. Conversely, knowledge dissemination and resource mobilization were identified as strengths of Pioneer Hi-Bred Seeds Ethiopia Plc., but as weaknesses for public research centers, agricultural extension service providers, and government seed enterprises. Key actors influencing the system include the Regional Bureau of Agriculture and the Amhara Seed Enterprise, which operate at the regime level and impact the production, distribution, and adoption of improved maize varieties. The study highlights that a public-private partnership has been established to promote the scaling up of improved maize seeds by Pioneer Hi-Bred Seeds Ethiopia Plc. The newly released varieties by Pioneer Hi-Bred Seeds Ethiopia Plc. have a comparative advantage over previous varieties used by farmers, and there is a willingness and readiness among farmers to adopt the new varieties. This presents a promising opportunity for collaboration and the development of a business case. However, the scaling up of improved varieties faces challenges related to knowledge and skills interaction, value chain development, and public governance. In public research centers, there is good interaction in knowledge and skill development, value chain development, and public governance for establishing legitimacy. However, collaboration among actors and financial resource mobilization are poor. To overcome these challenges and ensure the sustainable scaling up of improved maize seed varieties, it is crucial for public and private research institutions, along with other public sectors, to collaborate with development partners and the private sector. Such collaboration will ensure a long-lasting impact on the agricultural sector. In summary, the research underscores the importance of addressing systemic issues and enhancing interactions among key actors to facilitate the successful adoption and scaling up of improved maize varieties in Ethiopia. By leveraging the strengths of both public and private institutions and fostering effective partnerships, it is possible to overcome existing barriers and achieve sustainable agricultural development.Item Value Chain Analysis of Malt Barley in Amhara and Oromia Regions of Ethiopia: Status, Opportunities and Challenges(Addis Ababa University, 2024-06) Leulsenaye Damena; Paulos Gutema (PhD)This thesis presents a detailed analysis of the malt barley value chain in Ethiopia's Amhara and Oromia regions, focusing on its current, status, opportunities, and challenges. Using both qualitative and quantitative data from farmers, administrators, and industry experts, it examines the complex interactions within the value chain. The seed system, crucial to this chain, is divided into formal and informal sectors. The formal sector, involving government agencies, private companies, and international organizations, faces issues like limited coverage, high costs, and logistical challenges in producing and distributing high-quality seeds. Profitability analysis reveals that Private Seed Enterprises (PSE) are generally profitable due to operational efficiencies and market-driven strategies, while public research institutes struggle with high operational costs and limited funding. Malt barley producers also cultivate various crops, with regional differences in land allocation and seed recycling practices. Regional preferences for barley varieties and productivity levels vary, with potential gains from improved seeds and agronomic practices. Challenges include diseases, pests, waterlogging, weeds, and wildlife, while agrochemical use can enhance yields. Farmers primarily sell their malt barley to cooperatives, with smaller portions going to retailers and wholesalers. Price variability indicates a need for better price stability mechanisms. Producers linked to specific malt factories tend to earn higher incomes, with regional differences in earnings. The study offers strategic recommendations for policymakers, agricultural practitioners, and stakeholders to improve productivity and sustainability. It contributes to the broader discussion on agricultural value chains in Ethiopia, emphasizing the need for integrated efforts to address identified challenges and capitalize on available opportunities.Item The Gum Tree (Eucalyptus) Farming in Ethiopia: Expansion and Implications on Land Use and Livelihoods of Rural Households, Evidence from Gurage Zone(Addis Ababa University, 2024-06) Aklilu Amiga; Degefa Tolossa (Professor); Abebe Damte (PhD)Due to its perceived superior economic benefits over conventional agriculture, eucalyptus tree farming is becoming more and more popular among smallholder farmers in the highlands of Ethiopia, including Gurage Zone. However, this practice has caused controversies from both a theoretical and practical standpoints. Despite the fact that smallholder farmers have embraced it quickly, there are inadequate studies on its environmental and livelihood effects to generate reliable insights so as to inform policy makers regarding its planting and use. This study seeks to fill some of the gaps by using a mixed research method. For this purpose a total of 480 sample households from six purposefully selected kebeles were identified using systematic random sampling procedures. In addition, Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) as well as field observations and satellite images of the study area were used as data collection tools to generate the required data to address the research questions. The quantitative data were analyzed using appropriate econometric and descriptive data analysis methods, while the qualitative data were analyzed using the content analysis approach. The data analysis revealed that the majority of households believed eucalyptus trees to have a negative impact on the environment, while they perceived it as having a positive impact on their livelihoods. The ordered logit estimation indicated factors like total land holding, school year of household head and participation in non/off-farm activities to be significant factors in influencing the perceptions of households. The study further indicated eucalyptus tree to have a remarkable economic and social contribution to smallholder households’ livelihoods. Among other advantages, its contribution as energy source for cooking was found to be almost 98%. While 92% of surveyed households reported using their own plantation to meet own demands for wood products. Moreover, eucalyptus tree benefits households to meet their emergency cash needs and contributes almost 31% to their total household cash income. The fractional logit model showed factors such as total household income, age of household head, livestock resource as well as distance from the main roads to be some of the important factors influencing the share of land households allocate to eucalyptus trees. For the year 2000, 2010, and 2021, the LULC maps' mean classification accuracy and overall Kappa values were found to be 89.17 and 0.83, respectively. The LULC assessment of the study area indicated eucalyptus trees to have expanded over the past two decades on average at a rate of 42 Ha. per annum, suggesting eucalyptus trees to be the major contributor to the LULC change of the study area. The LULC analysis further indicated that eucalyptus trees to have expanded at the expense of crop lands which were found to be on a declining trend over the past decade. The econometric estimation indicated that land size and proximity to main roads to be important factors influencing the plantation of eucalyptus trees by sample households. The study used HFIAS, FCS, and a composite indicator created from the aforementioned indicators to assess the food security situation of the study area. The result revealed various food security issues in the study area due to both food quantity and quality challenges. The composite food security indicator showed almost 44% and 31.2% of the sample households as food insecure and food secure, respectively. While the balance (24.8%) to be in the intermediate category. The multinomial logit model also revealed that a household's total land holdings and its livestock resources as some of the factors that positively influence the likelihood of being in the food secure category. The marginal effect suggests that a one-unit increase in income from eucalyptus trees will increase the likelihood of being in the intermediate group by 8.5% while decreasing the probability of being in the food secure and food insecure categories by 8.1% and 0.4%, respectively. This study suggests the need to address the issues surrounding eucalyptus trees. The first and most important step should be reaching a common understanding among the various stakeholders in recognizing eucalyptus as an important integral part of the smallholders farming system. This will require ix continuous discussions and providing timely information on the need to integrate tree planting with crop production using various communication channels so that eucalyptus trees will be used properly to improve the socioeconomic conditions of the smallholder farmers without compromising the food production potential and the environmental qualities of the study area. In order to achieve this, the nation should formulate and implement a land use policy that give sufficient right to land owners to engaged in land development activities legally and confidently with the full support and recognition of experts and government authorities. In addition, this policy should give authorities sufficient legal right to monitor and regulate rural land use to ensure its sustainable utilization in such a way that it fosters the overall development of rural areasItem Characteristics and Determinants of Rural Entrepreneurship and its Contribution to Poverty Alleviation: The Case of Haramaya District, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia(Addis Ababa University, 2024-06) Abdibeshir Said; Worku Tuffa (PhD); Alemseged Gerezgiher (PhD)Rural entrepreneurship is a growing trend that is getting an increasing attention from rural households, academia, and development actors as a key instrument to generate employment, raise income, and reduce poverty, food insecurity and migration of the working force. However, there are less studies divulging the characteristics and factors affecting rural entrepreneurship as well as its socioeconomic outcomes, especially in the least developed countries. Therefore, this research explores the pattern, dynamics, determinants, and multidimensional-poverty alleviation impact of rural entrepreneurship based on a cross-sectional survey data from Haramaya district, Ethiopia. The research was conducted through the analysis of both quantitative data. The quantitative data were obtained from a survey of 381 rural households, and qualitative data were gathered from a total of 13 entrepreneurs and 11 key stake holders through in-depth interviews (IDI), key informant interviews (KII), focus group discussions (FGD), and field observations. Generally, descriptive statistics (such as frequency, percentage, mean, Standard Deviation) and econometrics (i.e. Probit, Tobit, PSM and ANOVA) were used to analyze the quantitative data, whereas the qualitative data were analyzed using the hybrid thematic analysis method. The findings of the research show that around 25 % of rural household in Haramaya districts are rural entrepreneurs operating businesses in either or both farm and nonfarm sectors. The entrepreneurial works are dominantly characterized by business diversification, inter and intra-sector mobility, and valuecenteredness. Rural households’ entrepreneurial participation and the intensity of their engagement are highly influenced by necessity-factors that are associated to households’ socioeconomic needs and inaccessibility of basic economic items in remote rural settings. Specifically, household size, possession of farmland and residence house, distance from market, childhood experience of growing as orphan, and access to contract employment are found to be major determinants of both entrepreneurial participation and intensity simultaneously. As far as variables that separately affect participation or intensity of entrepreneurial works are concerned, age of the household head strongly sways participation whereas the intensity of entrepreneurial work is strongly influenced by the climatic condition of the residence area, number of siblings supported by the household head, the motive of starting the business and ownership of the business site. The finding also reveals the prevalence of profound multidimensional poverty in the district with headcount ratio of 85.5% and it also shows that rural entrepreneurship is serving as a xv | P a g e remedy for reduction of multidimensional poverty by significantly boosting the entrepreneurs’ capacity to acquire improved nutritional status and access to better life-standard facilities (i.e. transportation and communication facilities as well as decent housing. Yet, lack of strong support structure for rural entrepreneurship, narrow land access options, poor access to credit and long bureaucratic procedures have remained the bottle-necks for entrepreneurship development. Therefore, the government should multiply its efforts supporting entrepreneurial development in rural settings by expanding and creating awareness about land access and use options. The federal and regional offices of Road Authority, Electric Light and Power Authority and Water and Energy should focus on rural electrification pure drinking water, transport infrastructures development for addressing both entrepreneurial development and multidimensional poverty alleviation goals simultaneously. Higher educational institutions, including Harmaya university should extend their entrepreneurship training, advisory and incubation services wider and remote villages. NGOs, CSOs and farmers cooperatives should join hands and give due focus on the expansion of agricultural and non-farm business since both sectors are indifferently important for poverty reduction. Financial institutions should also work on creating the awareness about the available credit options and increase the accessibility social compatibility of their services.Item Impacts of Agricultural Growth Program II Tef Interventions on the Livelihood of Rural Households: Evidence from Central Ethiopia(Ethiopian Statistical Service, 2023-09) Solomon Zewdu; Alemu Azmeraw (PhD); Alemeseged Gerezgiher (PhD); . Solomon Tsehay (PhD)The government and other development actors in Ethiopia have promoted agricultural technologies like improved tef varieties to raise agricultural productivity and, in turn, the well-being of farmers. The impacts of these technologies, however, needed to be thoroughly examined. In order to investigate productivity and income, plot-level seed rate and productivity, commercialization, and welfare, 479 farm households from two farming systems in Central Ethiopia - one from users of the Agricultural Growth Program (AGP) II introduced Korra tef variety and the other from non-users - were randomly and proportionately sampled. The study also looks into the effects of the program's Common Interest Groups (CIGs) project on the livelihood of rural women and youth who benefit from it. This dissertation has seven chapters, one introductory and theoretical, five empirical, and one concluding (general conclusions and recommendations) chapters, covering the research issues mentioned. Each empirical chapter addresses issues important to the study's broader goal. The introductory chapter outlines the context, problem statement, pertinent literature, broad goal, and study methodology. Following the introduction, the second chapter examined how adopting Korra tef has impacted the productivity and income of the users. The quantitative data were analyzed using Propensity Score Matching (PSM) technique, and qualitative data substantiated the survey data. The amount of tef production per hectare was used to measure users‘ productivity, and their net income gains from tef were then calculated. The findings showed that adopting Korra tef has boosted tef productivity by about six quintals per ha1 and raised farmers' income by around 29500 Ethiopian Birr per ha1 . The third chapter investigated how plot-level Korra tef seed rate affected productivity. One-way Analysis of Vaiance (ANOVA) was used to examine the productivity results of seed rate users, and the Dose-Response model was used to look into the impacts of seed rate on productivity. The qualitative data was used for validation. The outcome showed that a seed rate of 20kgha-1 , slightly beyond the recommended, was related to the highest average tef production. The fourth chapter examined how the use of Korra tef impacts users' commercialization status. The Household Commercialization Index (HCI) and the PSM were used to assess the level of commercialization and the impact of Korra tef use on commercialization, respectively. According to the HCI results, users and non-users were found in the categories of commercialized and semi-commercialized, respectively. The PSM result similarly showed a positive and significant impact, with users commercializing at a rate that was approximately 23.43% higher than non-users. The fifth chapter looked at how the welfare of the users was impacted by the use of Korra tef. Welfare was proxied by measuring consumption per adult equivalent. One-way ANOVA was used to estimate the farm households' expenditures at various commercialization levels. The PSM was then used to investigate how the Korra tef impacted users' welfare in comparison to non-users. A strong correlation was found between the users‘ spending and commercialization. The PSM outcome also showed that the use of Korra tef had a positive and significant impact on the users' spending. The the results of the effects of CIGs on rural women and youth livelihood is presented in the sixth chapter. A case-based qualitative study used Focus Group Discussions and Key Informant Interviews to evaluate the CIG's performances, effectiveness, strengths, limitations, opportunities, and threats. The data arrangement for this study was handled by the MAXQDA 2020 qualitative data analysis package. The data were analyzed using thematic, relational, and content analysis techniques in that order. Some of the positive aspects played by the CIGs were income and a strong social capital for members. The absence of market linkage, workplace, insufficient monitoring and evaluation, coordination among stakeholders, inadequate and improper use of money, and a lack of entrepreneurial education and skill training was on the list. Overall, the findings point to the necessity of encouraging the use of Korra tef variety to boost users' production and income as well as their commercialization and welfare. Users also must be encouraged to employ the suggested seed rates rather than merely adopting improved seed varieties. Finally, for the successful implementation of the CIGs and empowerment of rural women and youth, access to entrepreneurial skill training, coordination among key stakeholders, rigorous monitoring and evaluation, access to market linkage and workplace, and enough funding are advised.Item Household Food Security in Ethiopia: A Comprehensive Analysis on Drivers, Policies and Governance(Addis Ababa University, 2023-09) Workicho Jateno; Bamlak Alamirew (PhD, Associate Professor); Maru Shete (PhD, Associate Professor)Household food insecurity continued to be a development and policy agenda in Ethiopia. This study is initiated to assess the status and determinants of household dietary diversity and food security, and to evaluate policies, strategies and programs in terms of addressing the multi-dimensional features of food security in Ethiopia. It also evaluated the food security governance mechanism of the nation. It used data from the 4th wave of the Ethiopian socioeconomic survey. The survey included information from 3,115 rural households. In addition, qualitative data was generated from key informants and document reviews. The study dominantly adopted explanatory research design. Data were analyzed using a combination of qualitative and quantitative data analysis tools. Qualitative data analysis tools such as content analysis, narrations and direct quotation of informant’s views were used. Quantitative data analysis tools such as mean, percentages, standard deviation, beta and ordinal logistic regression models were used. A composite household food security index was constructed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Using a multidimensional food security indicator, about 78% of rural households in Ethiopia are food insecure, with 90 % of them classified as moderately food insecure. Regional variations in magnitude of food insecurity are observed. Harari regional state and Diredawa city administration are relatively better than the other eight regions in the country. The study further revealed that the magnitude of food insecurity in Ethiopia is substantially higher than previous estimates done based on a uni-dimensional food security indicator. Dietary diversity of households is low. Cereals are the most dominant food groups consumed by 96.4% of the households followed by pulses consumed by 82% of the households. Nutrition-dense food commodities such as lean meat, vegetables and fruits were the least consumed food groups in Ethiopia. The study further identified the determinants of dietary diversity and household food security in Ethiopia. Demographic variables such as household head’s sex and marital status; socioeconomic variables such as wealth status and education level of the household head; and location variable, i.e the regional state where the household lives significantly determined household’s food security in Ethiopia. With respect to the determinants of consumption of diverse food stuff, female-headed households had 38% more chance of consuming diverse foods compared to male-headed ones. Household heads who completed secondary education and above had 62% more chance of consuming diverse foods compared to uneducated household heads. Household heads who were single had 37% less chance of consuming diverse foods compared to those household heads who were married. Those households located in Harari regional state and in the rural surroundings of Diredawa city administration had 6.56 times more chance of consuming diverse foods compared to those living in Tigray and Amhara regional states. The results also highlighted that households who were in the upper wealth category had 9 times more chance of consuming diverse foods compared to those households who were in the lower wealth category. Evaluation results of food security related policies, strategies, and programs revealed that improving the availability and access dimensions of food security were the main focus, with limited consideration of interventions that improve the utilization and stability dimensions of food security. Evaluation of the food security governance system of the nation showed that there are gaps in instituting effective coordination and accountability systems; ensuring coherence among policies, legal frameworks and directives; building the capacity of implementers at lower level of the governance tier; and ensuring active participation of food security actors. The study recommends that government and development partners address the multidimensional challenges of food security in Ethiopia by implementing interventions that build household assets and enhance the literacy levels of household heads. In order to address household dietary diversity, tailored interventions that consider context-specific needs and similarities in food consumption patterns and differences in dietary diversity among regions need to be implemented. Encouraging farmers to diversify agricultural production and providing nutrition education to promote consumption of livestock products is also recommended. Policies, strategies, and programs should adopt a comprehensive approach to include interventions relevant to address the four dimensions of food security. More importantly, an independent government entity with the resources and authorities should be formed with the necessary accountability and enforcement mechanisms.Item Impact of Large-Scale Agricultural Investment: Case Studies on Dispossession, Livelihood, Food Security and Environment from Shashamane Rural District of Oromia Region, Ethiopia(Addis Ababa University, 2023-12) Yideg Alemu; Degefa Tolossa (Professor)After the 2007–2008 global triple crisis of finance, food, and energy, Ethiopia has strongly promoted Large-Scale Agricultural Investment (LSAI) as a policy instrument and strategy to increase Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and sustain agricultural productivity. Evidence also indicated that LSAI are increasing over time and are likely to continue in the future in the country. In this vein, the study elucidates the process and progress, follow-up, and harmony of various stakeholders in the governance of large-scale agriculture in the historical context of large-scale agricultural investment (LSAI) initiatives, drivers, and institutions. Further, it is essential to take into account their possible consequences on the local community's livelihood, food security, and environment and employ sustainable methods to reduce these effects. The state of Oromia is a prominent regional state in Ethiopia that has actively sought large-scale agricultural investment (LSAI). Government documents reveal that Oromia alone leased 1.0 million hectares of potential land to both domestic and foreign investors for up to 99 years. Since 2008, among zones of Oromia, the Shashaman rural district was predominantly chosen as a practical intervention area of LSAIs due to the availability of fertile land and freshwater, proximity to the capital city of the nation, lower labor costs, and an abundance of "communal" or "underutilized lands. Existing studies on LSAI in Oromia have focused on FDIs, loan misuse, limited rural employment, technology transfer, infrastructure, job creation, food security and livelihoods. Since previous studies have shed light on certain aspects of LSAI in Oromia, there is a pressing need to expand research efforts to explore the multifaceted negative effects of these investments. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the impact of LSAI on dispossession, local people‟s livelihood, food security, and the environment in Ethiopia, particularly in Oromia National Regional State, Shashamane Rural District. Further, the study also examined the integration of the three key stakeholders (State, private sector, and affected and interested local people) and looked at how LSAI's multiple benefits were shared among the three key actors. Because one theory could not adequately address the complex and allencompassing problem of LSAI, the study also used a variety of analytical underpinnings. This study looked at the broader political ecology approach, investment policy that supports FDI in large-scale agriculture and public-private partnership (PPP) and associated economic theory as guiding frameworks to the study. The Aestin ladder of involvement, the Sustainable Livelihood Framework (SLF), food security theories and the four pillars, and the Driver-Pressure-State- v Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework are also used as lenses to analyze the empirical results. Among various impact evaluation approaches, this study used a pseudo-randomization or quasiexperimental treatment/control procedure to answer a specific cause-and-effect question. The study used a combination of data sources and techniques, inviting multi-method qualitative and quantitative data collection tools. The study obtained data through surveys, key and in-depth informant interviews, focus group discussions (FGD), field visits, and direct observations. Secondary data and statistics were obtained from various sources, including Ethiopia's Investment Commission (EIC), Bureau of Investment and Industry of the Oromia Region, the West Arsi zone, and the Shashemene district Investment and Industry Office. Documents from NGOs (GIZ) and Civil Society organizations were also consulted and assessed. Additionally, the study used Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Propensity Score Matching (PSM) economic model to build the index and examine the impact. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) 24 for Windows and Stata Version 13. T-test and χ2 were employed to test the significance of differences between groups for continuous and discrete variables, respectively. The results revealed that 86.6% of respondents expressed that both government and proponents were not taking their concerns into account during the consultation process. Lack of free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) reduces local people‟s sense of recognition and status. The study found that the livelihood component's average treatment effect on treated (ATT) results indicate that the treated households' natural, human, and financial capital was lower than that of control families at -0.91, -0.81 and -0.15, respectively. The loss of household livelihoods has deepened and exacerbated local poverty. The study also found that LSAI has no positive or significant impact on local community food security status. Most of the local communities with LSAI and without LSAI were food insecure by all four pillars of food security measures. LSAI-affected households were more susceptible to environmental risk exposure, had higher levels of land degradation, and had lower levels of resilience than LSAIunaffected households. The outcome of the sensitivity analysis demonstrated that the impact (negative) results predicted by this study were an accurate reflection of the local effects of LSAI. Despite the project's failure to mechanize and regulate substantial areas of the land, local farmers have operated on them and used the vacant land. The main adverse effects of LSAI are threats to the official recognition of local people and their sense of ownership of their customary lands, eviction from farmland, resident grazing land, inadequate compensation, a lack of vi transparency and accountability, improvised local people's livelihood capital and food security, and accelerated local environmental degradation. The core argument of this thesis is that the government's vigorous promotion of LSAI has failed to deliver the multiple benefits it promised for significant stakeholders. Since LSAI involves interdependent issues that call for collaboration across multiple actors and sectors, there was little engagement and consultation with stakeholders. In addition, civil society organizations and academia did not participate as much, which hindered the development of consensus and solutions that benefited all parties. Despite the investment's appeal, it fails to address food insecurity, safeguard dispossession persons, or improve local livelihoods and environment. Inadequate stakeholder involvement and malpractice exacerbate the land problem, increase firm risk, and diminish overall benefits. Mitigating the adverse impacts on livelihood resources, implementing effective monitoring, and restoring the local natural environment are urgently needed. Developing corrective institutional arrangements is not just an option; it is an imperative. Making responsible investments and achieving multiple benefits require learning from past mistakes and understanding stakeholder interests, responsibilities, and priorities. The study also offers suggestions for minimizing negative effects while maximizing positive effects.Item Impacts of the Adoption Intensity of Improved Bread Wheat Package and Seed Recycling Practices on Smallholder Farmers’ Productivity and Technical Efficiency: The Case of East Gojam Zone, Ethiopia(Addis Ababa University, 2023-08) Yirgalem Eshete; Bamilak Alamirew (PhD); Zewdie Bishaw (PhD)This study was conducted with an overall objective of investigating the impacts of the adoption intensity of Improved Bread Wheat Package (IBWP) and seed recycling practices on smallholder farmers’ productivity and Technical Efficiency (TE). The first article examined the yield effect of plot – level seed rate application and compared the costs and benefits of fresh and recycled seed use in Bread Wheat Production (BWP). The second article investigate the determinants of smallholder farmers’ adoption intensity of the IBWP and its impact on productivity. The third article estimates smallholder farmers’ level of TE in BWP, identify sources of technical efficiency, and analyze the impact of seed recycling on smallholder farmers’ TE and productivity. The researchers hypothesized that poor agronomic management practices, such as improper seed rates and multiple seed recycling, are major contributors to low productivity. The researchers also hypothesized that smallholder farmers’ adoption of only specific components of the IBWP has a thwarting effect on their productivity and TE. Moreover, it was hypothesized that seed recycling substantially contribute to smallholder farmers’ technical inefficiency and productivity. The study collected both quantitative and qualitative data via interviews, focus group discussions, and observations from 450 sample respondents. Various statistical models, including dose-response, Cragg’s double hurdle, Stochastic Frontier Analysis with a translog function, and regression adjustment treatment effect models along with the Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA), were employed to analyze the data. Farmers' seed rate applications were found to vary, and the study identified that the highest average wheat yield was associated with a seed rate of 50 kg/ha above the recommended level. A one-time bread wheat seed recycling after five consecutive times was found to reduce yield by 665 kg ha-1 compared to non-recycled seeds. The CBA indicated that while seed recycling reduces seed costs, the economic gains associated with using fresh improved bread wheat seed were significantly higher, resulting in improved yields and net income. The study identified various determinants of adoption intensity and found that access to improved fresh seed, membership in improved seeds multiplication and marketing cooperatives, age, longer years of experience; low dependency ratio, higher family size, Tropical Livestock Unit (TLU), and frequency of extension contact were significant reasons for the adoption of the entire package. Additionally, adopters of the entire bread wheat package had 8.24 quintals higher productivity per hectare than non-adopters. The analysis also revealed that several variables, including age, family size, Tropical Livestock Unit, dependency ratio, hand weeding frequency, row spacing, amount of credit, and membership in seed multiplication and marketing cooperatives, significantly impacted TE. The study also found that farmers using recycled seed had lower TE compared to those using fresh seed, highlighting the negative effects of seed recycling on TE. Overall, findings of the study provides a comprehensive understanding of the yield and cost implications of plot level seed rate application and seed recycling practices; the determinants of IBWP adoption intensity, impact of IBWP adoption intensity on smallholder farmers productivity and TE, and sources of smallholder farmers technical inefficiency in BWP. Generally, findings’ highlight the importance of using fresh seed, increasing access to improved seed, promoting full package adoption, and improving smallholder farmers’ TE in BWP. Creating wider access to fresh seeds by establishing agricultural credit schemes for seeds procurement, land consolidation through voluntary land exchange, and targeted price subsidies are strongly recommended to enhance farmers’ TE and Productivity. Besides, encouraging full package adoption by reinventing the existing practices in the package to suit the local context is strongly recommended. Implementing Farmer – to – Farmer extension method is strongly suggested to facilitate knowledge and experience sharing among farmers.Item The Impact of Rural Productive Safety Net Program on Household Resilience, Livelihood, and Its Implication to Policy Implementation(Addis Ababa University, 2024-03) Mesfin Getaneh; Bamlaku Alamirew (PhD)This comprehensive study investigates the multifaceted impact of the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) on household resilience and livelihood in the Wolaita zone of Ethiopia, located in a region vulnerable to climate change and food insecurity. Employing a Resilience Index Measurement and Analysis (RIMA), the First Chapter reveals that non-PSNP households exhibit higher monthly per capita food expenditure, indicating better access to economic resources. Additionally, non-PSNP households score higher in resilience, emphasizing the need for proper targeting to leverage the potential positive spillover effects of such programs on food security and nutrition outcomes through interventions like asset-building, livelihood diversification, or social protection. The Second Chapter delves into the longer-term effects of PSNPs on livelihoods. Employing treatment effects models, the study assesses access to basic services, income, food expenditure, assets, adaptive capacity, and dietary diversity among 300 randomly selected respondents. Results indicate that while the PSNP shows no statistically significant impact on basic services and income, it significantly reduces food expenditure and assets. The mixed findings highlight the intricate nature of designing effective social protection programs to address the multifaceted dimensions of poverty. The Third Chapter explores the influence of institutional arrangements and policy considerations on the PSNP’s effectiveness. Employing qualitative methods, including desk reviews and key informant interviews, the study identifies challenges such as a lack of accountability and staff turnover at higher organizational levels. Recommendations include establishing robust accountability mechanisms, implementing regular assessments, and developing guidelines for documenting good practices. The research underscores the importance of structured systems for information dissemination to optimize social protection programs and contribute to more effective poverty reduction and food security outcomes in local communities.Item Farm Households' Choice of Crops, Commercialization, and Risk in North Shewa, Ethiopia(Addis Ababa University, 2024-03-01) Mohammed Endris; Belaineh Legesse (PhD)The world is currently facing a challenge due to rising food prices. It is acknowledged that increasing smallholder farmers' productivity and commercializing their operations are important techniques for addressing food security. Ethiopia is utilizing a variety of policies to increase agricultural GDP contribution and achieve food selfsufficiency. Investigating the process of farmers' decisions in relation to risk is more important to connect these policies with the governments' pro-poor efforts. This study focused on crop selection, risk, and mung bean in this aspect. Crop choice is a method for effective land use, stabilizing food prices, and establishing a wholesome food system. A total of 400 smallholder farmers were selected using a Multi-stage random sampling technique from kewot woreda of North Shewa, Ethiopia and surveyed using an interview questionnaire. Crop producing activities covered 72% of the total income. The study also showed that market-related issues including transportation, weak enforcement of land contracts, and shortage of wage laborers during harvesting have a detrimental impact on agricultural income. Additionally, the results showed that households had obtained land through redistribution and acquisition. The study also found that women were insufficiently involved in agricultural decision-making. Mung bean is found in the crop mix of 64% of farmers. The higher profit per hectare is seen in mung beans, although the maximum calorie density per hectare is found in sorghum. Mung beans are also positively correlated with selected commercialization xi indices. Sorghum, teff, onion, and mung bean were identified as the dominating crops, accounting for 95% of all cultivated area, according to the crop choice study. Appropriate econometrics methods were applied to each objectives. According to the crop portfolio choice results, 73% of respondents said they preferred marketing to consuming when choosing their crop portfolio. Despite greater respondent heterogeneity in the risk assessment of onions, mung beans were shown to be a crop with higher risk. Result on the variables that affect how risky farmers' crop portfolio choices are, shows that livestock ownership and education have a positive association with portfolio riskiness whereas irrigation use and being male headed household had a negative correlation. This study's primary contribution is the way it explicitly addresses the risk assessment of the farmer. The main policy conclusion is that, through insurance and crop-specific subsidies that focus on calorie-revenue tradeoffs, farmers can make decisions about their crops without being constrained by risk or their own consumption.Item The Impact of Cluster Farming on Crop Productivity in Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia: Evidence from Dejen Woreda(Addis Ababa University, 2022-06) Wondimu Dirar; Abate Mekuriaw (PhD)Cluster farming is one of the approaches formulated in the Ethiopian agricultural sector to uphold location-based initiatives with an aim to modernize the smallholder farming subsector and leap forward from the traditional, less productive, and subsistence farming to a new and systematic way of production. In the case of Ethiopia, cluster farming is not a thing any farmer could adopt unless whose land falls into selected suitable sites. This study was initiated to understand the impact of cluster farming on teff crop productivity by drawing evidence form Dejen Woreda. And at the same time to understand how clusters are formed and how farmers are perceived the approach. Both quantitative and qualitative types of cross-sectional data were collected from randomly selected 384 participant and non-participant households and both descriptive and econometrics (Propensity Score Matching) data analysis tools were used by taking the approach (CF) itself as a determinant of productivity. Accordingly, the results show that the formation process was top-down and not in complement with ATA’s framework when it comes to consulting famers, providing explanations, providing training. In relation to farmers perception, results show that farmers have positively accepted and perceived the approach even if most of them believed that participation hasn’t brought change except input usage, getting more extension service and lowering of pest infestation. In terms of teff productivity, the average treatment effect on the treated (ATT) estimation also show that participant farmers had advantage of teff productivity by 208 kg/ha or 2 quintals compared to non-participants. The study asserted that the approach indeed has a positive impact on teff productivity and it is positively accepted. Thus, finding of the study suggest that the approach has encouraging roles to capitalize on and some loopholes that needs attention of the Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA), the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), Dejen woreda agricultural office, woreda official, experts’ development agents and farmers themselves regarding sensitization and awareness creation, provision of training, facilitating credit services and other essentials including the quality of extension services, input, technology and market as per the approaches recommendations and packagesItem The Impact of Rural Saving and Credit Cooperatives on Women Empowerment in Arsi Negelle, Ethiopia(Addis Ababa University, 2022-06-03) Ebisa Edosa; Alemu Azmeraw (PhD)This study was conducted to identify and evaluate the determinants of membership decision and intensity of participation in the RSCCs and its impact on women empowerment in Arsi Negele, Ethiopia. A mixed research method has been employed to address the research objectives. A multistage sampling method was used to obtain data from 362 households in Arsi Negele Woreda. The binary and ordered logistic regression and the Propensity Score Matching methods were used for the quantitative data analysis. The collected qualitative data were also analyzed by the methods of narration, summary and interpretation. The study revealed that the RSCCs had a positive and significant impact on women empowerment. However, the RSCCs lacked inclusivity as it favored the FHHs, more schooled women, and better off households. Furthermore, trust and perception mattered in enhancing women‟s probability of joining the RSCCs. The study result also showed that the age, schooling years, marital status, family size, duration, group size, and distance significantly determine women‟s intensity of participation in the RSCCs. Therefore, the cooperative promotion agencies and rural development partners should appreciate the identified policy variables determining women‟s membership to ensure the inclusivity of the RSCCs. Moreover, the woreda level cooperative agencies should develop profiles of the members so that the training can particularly target the younger, less schooled, junior members, and women from the large family and land size to strengthen their intensity of participation in the RSCCs.Item Production Efficiency, Commercialization of Cereal Crops and Multidimensional Poverty among Farm Households in Major ‘Teff’ Growing Areas of Ethiopia(Addis Ababa University, 2021-12-17) Fisseha Zegeye; Abrham Seyoum (PhD)The majority population in SSA including Ethiopia is multidimensional poor, resides in rural areas, and depends on smallholder agriculture for their livelihood. Hence, poverty alleviation and agricultural productivity growth remain the primary policy agenda for many developing countries in SSA. In Ethiopia, cereals are the principal staple crops strategic for poverty alleviation, suggesting that the prospect of increasing cereal outputs has crucial policy importance to design anti-poverty strategies and thereby improve smallholder welfare. This dissertation, therefore, examined the effect of technical efficiency and commercialization of cereal crops on household multidimensional poverty in rural Ethiopia. The study followed a mixed-method research design in which more emphasis was given for quantitative research design with an embedded qualitative research approach. Primary data was generated from randomly selected 392 sample farm households in the year 2019/2020 from major teff-growing areas of Ethiopia using structured questionnaire, key informant interviews (KIIs), and focus group discussions (FGDs). Descriptive and inferential statics was applied to explain farm households’ characteristics. The study also used a wide range of analytical and econometric models: Stochastic Meta-Frontier, Tobit Model, Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), Vulnerability Analysis, Fractional Logit Model, IV Tobit Model, CMP, DoseResponse Function, and 3SLS Model to address the objectives of the study. Thematic analysis was applied to analyze qualitative data. The result of the study indicated that the average technical efficiency score of farm households was found to be 58%, inferring that about 36% of cereal output is lost due to inefficiency. The results showed that the adoption of high-yielding varieties together with production methods improves production efficiency. Moreover, sex of the household head, age of the household head, mobile phone ownership, cooperative membership, access to modern inputs, and stress incidence were found the major determinants for efficiency. The study, hence, asserts that the cereal output can be improved with the current input mix and technology. The results revealed that, on average, about 38% of cereal crops produced were commercialized, suggesting a semicommercialized production system. The simultaneous model estimates coffered that cereal commercialization significantly improves the use of production inputs and cereal yield at 1% level. Bi-directional causality between commercialization and technical efficiency was also confirmed at 1% level. This means that enhancing commercialization among cereal farmers helps to improve land and labor productivity and thereby brings an upward shift in the production technology. Moreover, the results showed that the extent of cereal commercialization positively determined by sex of the household head, land size, credit service, mobile phone ownership, improved seed, and agricultural assets, while negatively influenced by family size, dependency ratio, and non-farm employment. The incidence of poverty, the mean deprivation scores, and MPI were found to be 57.9%, 44.1%, and 31.2%, respectively, implying a higher proportion of farm households were classified as multidimensional poor. The study showed that improving technical efficiency and commercialization of farm households significantly decreases MPI. Overall, information asymmetry, cooperatives, input and output market integration, modern technologies, incidence of crop stresses, land reform and land rent in/out practices, improved livestock breeds, rural infrastructure, and services were among key areas of policy recommendationsItem Relating Pastoralists’ Culture Orientation, Livestock Marketing Practices, and Household Food Security among the Afar Pastoralists of Northeastern Ethiopia(Addis Ababa University, 2022-07) Derib Woldeyohannes; Worku Tuffa (PhD); Workneh Kassa (PhD)Ethiopia's arid and semi-arid regions provide the lion's share of the country's livestock resource endowments. Regardless of pastoral resource endowment, these areas are the poorest and most reliant on relief aid. Drawing on the debating contention that pastoralists prefer to accumulate and use pastoral produce for cultural purposes rather than trading for cash incomes, this thesis hypothesized that ‘the long-standing pastoralist tradition favors the accumulation and direct use of pastoral produce rather than remaining open to the market for exchange, thereby missing out on indirect (exchange) benefits toward food security’. Pastoral culture is present in the daily lives of pastoralists who establish and maintain relationships with one another by employing traditionally valued practices such as reciprocity and herd mobility. These are traditional survival strategies imbedded in their social norms, values, knowledge and institutions that are built up through generational learning, passed down orally through generations, and govern overall life. These communities rely on the traditional livestock farming sub-sector for their livelihoods and to meet their food consumption needs. In the face of recurring droughts, marketing pastoral produce is also a widely pursued approach to improve food security, and it has become equally important for supporting livelihoods in these areas. But, the potential contribution of pastoral marketing to the food security of pastoral production has received little attention. To this end, this study is guided by three key concepts: pastoral culture, marketing, and food security. Following that, the thesis attempted to address three specific objectives ultimately revealing the relationship between ‘pastoralism’, ‘marketing’, and ‘food security’ through a case study and survey data collected from (agro-)pastoral communities of Afar in Ethiopia. The study sought to shed light on the contribution of (agro-)pastoral marketing practices to food security by determining the extent to which pastoralists adhere to their traditions and how their orientation to culture norms influences their marketing interests. The thesis includes a literature review as well as three empirical studies. Methodologically, the thesis employed a mix of systematic literature review, case study analysis, household food insecurity access scale (HFIAS), ordered logistic regression, and propensity score matching (PSM) procedure. It begins with a systematic literature review to uncover "rural marketing – rural livelihood" relationships, which revealed that rural marketing had positive results at times and negative results at others, resulting in mixed effects on livelihood. The mixed effects necessitate a better understanding of the conditions that make rural marketing useful, as well as the mechanisms by which potential benefits may emerge. The review findings also indicate vii that, while rural marketing has been somewhat successful among upland communities, there is little empirical evidence that the same holds true for (agro-)pastoralists, implying that more research on the livelihood effects of rural marketing using data from (agro-)pastoral groups is required. As a result, using data from (agro-)pastoralists (as representing rural communities that received little attention in the reviewed ‘rural marketing – rural livelihood' relationship studies), the thesis empirically tested the potential positive/negative relationship between marketing practices and food security (as representing livelihood outcome). The first empirical study discovered a misalignment between Aramis-Adaar traditional practices and their livestock marketing endeavors, in which they operate under two competing systems of cultural and marketing practices (though both are important in sustaining livelihoods). Following the case study, the survey used Aramis-Adaar pastoral and Asale agro-pastoral groups and revealed ‘the links between pastoral cultural elements and food (in)security’, and estimated ‘the food security effects of livestock commercial-orientations’. The survey results suggest that while properly integrating pastoralists into the market could be an important mechanism for overcoming the numerous problems that constrain pastoralism, livestock marketing practices fall short of adequately and sustainably supporting pastoralism, owing primarily to market production constraining factors such as pastoralists' cultural orientations. Future policy must align and level the playing field for market production ('competition') and pastoralism ('cooperation') in order to meet the needs of both pastoralism and marketing at the same time.