Determinants of Wage Labor P Articii' Ation Among the Afar Pastoralists: The Case of Amibara District
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Date
2004
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The pastoral sector in A/hI' region has supported the community/or many years in the past.
However, it has been/acing a challenge /01' the past jive decades after commercial irrigated
farming was considered as a development intervention in the area. Due to the intervention,
the Afar pastoralism underwent major trans/ormation mainly because 0/ the changes in land
use. These changes undermined the functioning 0/ the pastoral system. The overall process
contributed to impol'erishment, resource scarcity, vulnerability to drought and deepening
ecological crisis. The deteriorating living conditions have forced the pastoral communities
to diversi/jl their actil'ities by engaging in non-pastoral pursuits to supplement their income.
Among these subsidiary income-generating activities, wage labor in the irrigated/arms is
one(Ql'lnaloption. The pili pose a/this study was to assess the overall/eatures of/emil wage
employment in general and its determinants in particular. To meet this objective, a
household survey was undertaken during March 2004. The survey covered six Kebeles 0/
Amibara district of Afar region. A multi-stage random sampling technique was used to select
sample households. Descriptive and econometric methods were used to analyze the datel
The descriptive analysis used included independent t-test, Chi-square test, fiequencies,
means and percentages. The econometric analysis applied logistic regression model. The
survey result provided a glimpse o/the importance of the sector/or employment and its role
in the survival 0/ the household. But given the insignificant number of A/elI'S in stable and
better paying jobs, it is difficult to conclude that wage employment has resulted in a greater
improvement in household l"ell-being in this regard, socio-economic f elctors and local
characteristics l"ere/aund to in/luence wage labor participatiol1. The logit lIIodel indicated
age, wealth and distance determined significantly and negatil'ely. ll'hereas education and
attitude determined significantly and positively the probability 0/ engaging in wage
employment. Considering the impartance 0/ alterative employment opportunities in the
fiilure, promoting education and training as well as giving support to the pasroral and
tramport sector were recommended as strategies /01' success in promoring wage
emp!oymenl.
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Keywords
Wage labor, Pastoralists, off-farm employment