CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF RURAL POVERTY REDUCTION IN DAMOT WOYDE WORED, WOLAITTA ZONE, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA.

Abstract

The focus of this study was to assess challenges and opportunities for rural poverty reduction in Damot Woyde Woreda, Wolaitta zone, Southern Ethiopia. Data were collected using questionnaire, FGD, interview and document analysis and also from rural farmers at household level, DAs, kebele administrators, key informant rural farmers and heads/ representatives of Work Process of Poverty Reduction oriented sectors.119 Sample households were selected using simple random sampling. Data gathered using questionnaire were analyzed using the SPSS where descriptive statistics were used for the purpose. As to the study findings, poverty is currently the phenomenon of the rural population. Its level and depth (poverty) in the rural areas was manifested through deprivation of consumption, food insecurity and reliance on PSNP and temporal emergency food aid support. Different policies, strategies and practices were implemented in the rural areas but lacked effectiveness in lifting out the majority of rural farmers from the type of poverty they have faced. Result of the study indicated that rural farmers faced strong challenges from climate change (prolonged temperature and rain- fall un certainty) and unexpected diseases of staple food crops such as maize (attacked by maize virus) and haricot bean. The research findings also revealed that, though there were challenges that faced the rural farmers in poverty reduction, there are also untapped opportunities (options and potentials) in the rural areas and the woreda that contribute for poverty reduction and economic growth. Finally, the writer of this research recommends that the woreda government, non-governmental organizations and responsible government sectors should address challenges and efficient and effective utilization of untapped opportunities. In addition, further researches should be conducted in the same thematic areas.