Determinants and Dimensions of Poverty Among Rural Households: The Case ofitang Speical Distric in Gambella, Ethiopia.
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Date
2011-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The current paper was designed to study the dimensions and determinants of rural household
poverty in Itang special dislricl of Gambella National Regional State of Western Ethiopia.
Rural household poverty is usually determined by socio-economic, demographic, institutional
and natural factors including vulnerabilities to disaster risks.
The study focuses on fealures and jixtors determining household poverty in three rural
kebeles, where the Annuak and Nuer ethnic groups reside. A total of 89 households drawn
Ji'om lIang kir, Pukumu and Badel Kebele Administrations were involved in the study. The
melhodology employed in Ihis sludy includes descriptive statistics and explanatory analysis
based on Ihe data collecled Ihrough qualilalive and quantitative methods. In particular,
household survey, focus group discussion as well as key informanl interview were used as
part of collecling primary in/ormalioll. 71,e Cost of Basic Needs approach was employed to
set a poverty line. Besides, Ihe Fosler Greek Thorbecke method of poverty indices was
employed to find out the level. incidence and severity of poverty among the poor and nonpoor
categories of the stuc6! households.
This study showed the absolute poverty line of the households is Birr 1662.65 with the food
poverty line of Birr 1334.96. Based on the findings, Ihe total head count index is 0.438 which
means 43.8 percent of the sampled households fall under the poverty line. It also indicated
Ihat the per capita consull1pl ion expendilure distrib ution, non-jood expenditure per AEU of
sample households, educational, age and sex of sampled household heads varied for poor
and non-poor at less than 1% slolislical level. There is a significant differences in poverty
level among the poor and non poor sampled households in terms of factors such as the size of
cultivated land, remillances, assel possession, income Ji'om off-jarm and/or livestock. On the
contrary, the poor study households have relatively low average family size, low dependency
ratio and fewer hours of walking distance 10 market as compared to the non-poor; and thus
Ihe findings do not sup pori the assumplion stated in the research hypotheses. Based on the
logit regression model 01.11 put, Ihe study revealed that the total households' income was
significant at less than 1% probability level. Household size and household head age were
found to be significant al less Ihan 5 % while remittance and distance to the markets were
significant at less than 10 % probabililY le vel. The remaining two variables, namely overall
dependency ratio and access 10 exlension service were not statistically significant.
A1eanwhile, the current slucO, ./iJUnd out thai recurring hazards such as inter ethnic conflict
and floods which quickly turned in to disaster and subsequently incapacitates households '
resilience and contributes in keeping fhe sludy households and communities under the vicious
cycle of poverty. Practices of social obligalions like excessive dowry payment, sharing of
household resource as well as alcohollSl/1 and disruptions of social cultural assets caused
F ont a myriad of internal and exlernal ji:lctars were found disincentive for saving and
investment thereby contrihules ils own share in exacerbating the overall living conditions.
This paper concludes by p/'Oposing a range of short-term and long-term intervention options
to reduce poverty among poor households. Among others, the study highlights the need to
consider policy and programs Ihal seeks 10 address the structural causes of poverty and its
vulnerabilities to attain food sell sufficiency at household level thereby ultimately reduce
poverty and ils manifestations among Ihe population in the study district.
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Keywords
Poverty among Rural Households