Coping Strategies for Drought Induced Food Shortage: The Case of Small Holder Farmers in Fedis District, East Harerghe Zone, Oromiya Regional State
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Date
2004-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
TThe central theme of this study was to explore how farm households cope with drought
induced food shortage and investigating effectiveness of coping strategies in bUilding the
resilience of farmers' livelihoods at Fedis district. In order to meet these objectives, various
data collection and analysis techniques were employed. The necessary data were generated
from primary and secondary data sources to triangulate or crosscheck one data collection
methods with the other so that its reliability could be maximized. Hence, field observation,
household survey, key informant interview and focus group discussions were the principal
means of generating primary sources of data while secondary data were obtained from
various governmental and nongovernmental organizations ' documents and reports, books
and academic research papers. The data collected through household survey were coded
and entered into Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and analyzed by using
descriptive as well as inferential statistical techniques such as frequency, percentage, one
way ANOVA, correlation, An independent sample t-test and cross tabulation of different
variables.
The study findings revealed that the intensity and frequency of drought has been increasing
in the last few decades. In line with this, the number of population exposedfor food shortage
have been increaSing and dependency on external food sources become prevalent recently.
Vulnerability to food shortages has been increasing owing to low entitlement to productive
assets (land, farm oxen), traditional farm operations which undermine the coping capacity
of the farm households. Besides, the biophysical and socia-economic factors constraining
the major livelihoods activities thus the farm households could not obtain the required
benefits for their daily life. The cumulative effects of recurrent drought and the
aforementioned aggravating factors unable the farm households to cover their family's
annual food requirements even under normal circumstances.
The farm households develop different coping strategies to overcome the problems of food
shortage. The identified coping strategies were changing consumption patterns, borrowing,
appealing for food aid, eating wildfoods, migration to surrounding urban areas, sellingjilel
wood and charcoal, pulling children out of school and trading. Depending up on their
wealth status, the farm households employ one or the combinations of these strategies to
smooth food consumption patterns during drought induced harvest failures.
The coping strategies effectiveness in building the resilience of farmers' livelihoods was
also measured against the pre developed indicators. Thus, changing consumptions patterns,
receiving food aid, migration, sellingjilel wood and charcoal, pulling children out of school
were not effective coping strategies. These are strategies that can undermine the jii/ure
livelihoods of the farm households since they were at velY high cost. On the other hand,
petty trading and borrowing are most preferredfuture drought coping strategies by the farm
households and needs to be strengthened.
Based on the study findings, different actions by the government and non government
organizations need to be undertaken to enhance the coping capacity and ensure the
effectiveness of coping strategies have been recommendedfor better and secure livelihoods
in the fuherre.
Key words: copin g strategies, coping ca pacity, effecte
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Keywords
Copin GStrategies;Coping CaPacity;Effecte