DETERMINANTS OF RURAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME DIVERSIFICATION AND HOUSE HOLD INCOME DIVERSIFICATION EFFECTS ON FOOD SECURITY STATUS: THE CASE OF DITTA WOREDA, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Agriculture remains the main source of income for the majority of the rural population of developing countries. This study aims at analyzing the determinants of household income diversification and house holds income diversification effect on food security status using a cross sectional data collected from Ditta Woreda of Gamo Zone, Southern Ethiopia. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed to select 145 sample households. Structured questionnaire survey was under taken to obtain data pertaining to income diversification and house holds income diversification effect on food security status. Additionally, key informant interview, focus group discussion and observation were the principal methods used to generate the required data. Descriptive statistics, multinomial logistic and binary logit model were used to analyze quantitative data. The secondary data was used to support the analysis. To measure the choicies of income diversification of households by Herfindahi-Hirschma indices.The strategy of income diversification has significant effect on the food security status of the rural farm households in the study area, Education of house hold head, access of credit, household access to electricity, member of cooperative, contact with development agent, dependency ratio of house hold size, distance to the nearest market and land sizes engagement of rural households in off and non-farm income generating activities ware significant effects on the choice of household income diversification and household income diversification effect on food security. Finally, this research indicates the important policy implications suggesting that programs, projects and/or any interventions designed targeting to engage people in other income generating activities would augment their income sources which are made to increase the food security status of household choice in Ditta Woreda.