Determinants of the Livelihood Resilience of Rural Households in the Face of Flood Disasters in Ethiopia. A case of Dembia Wereda, North Gondar Zone of Amhara National Regional State.
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Date
2008-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The recent trend of increasing incidents of floods in Ethiopia is disrupting the livelihoods of a
significant proportion of the country 's population. In view of this fact therefore. this study
considers flooding as a major livelihood shock and attempts to assess the resilience of rural
households. focusing mainly on the factors that shape their resilience, in the face of recurrent
flooding.
The study was conducted in Dembia wereda of Amhara region as one of the flood-prone areas in
the country. III assessing factorSthm determine the resilience of households in the face of
flooding in the woreda, the study used the sustainable livelihood model as a conceptual
framework.
The study relied on both quantitative and qualitative methods of dma colleclion and analysis. The
primary data were collected by using qualitative data gathering tools such as focus group
discussions and key informant interviews. Accordingly, three FGDs were held with farmers
purposively selecled from two kebeles. Key informant interviews were done with woreda
Agriculture and Rural development Officials, experts and DAs. With the view of supplementing
the qualitative data, the study employed a questionnaire survey with 84 sampled heads of
households selecledfrom Ihe two kebeles.
The findings of this study showed that flooding is the main livelihood problem in the sludy area
which has been showing a marked change in its nature, becoming more frequenl and severe in
recent years. Most of the studiec!... house/wlds were also found 10 be less resilient and more
vulnerable to the effects of flooding. Ac"ess and use of livelihood resources such as size of
farmlands, availability of farm oxen, creel I as well as ability to draw help from social networks
were found to be the mOSI important facto r ; that determine the resilience of studied households in
the face of floods. Similarly, the coping ;trategies employed by households were found to be
constrained mainly by the scale and imp' ct of the recent floods and lack or shortage of basic
infrastructural and social facilities. Besides. most of the traditional coping strategies employed
by households failed to effectively help households offset the impacts of flooding.
Finally, the study suggests more focus 011 addressing the factors Ihal expose people 10 flood
disoslers alld shape their resilience, raIl. er than focusing on shorl-Ierm emergency responses
which seems 10 be the norlll in much of the flood affected areas in Ihe counlly.
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Keywords
Rural Households