MILK FARMING AND ITS EFFECT ON THE LIVELIHOOD OF HOUSEHOLDS IN ARBA MINCH ZURIA WOREDA OF SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

This study was conducted in Arba Minch zuria Woreda of Gamo Zone, SNNPR Regional State, Ethiopia. The research objective is analyzing the situation of dairy farming and its effect on the livelihood of households. Multi-stage sampling technique was applied to select representative 336 dairy farm households. First Arba Minch zuria woreda was selected by purposively as study area. The data was collected via questionnaire was first be coded, arranged, edited and analyzed using STATA 14. Descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage, graphs, tables, mean and standard deviation was used to summarize and present the result on demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of dairy farmers. The factors that affect decisions to use dairy farming and dairy farm households’ livelihood are analyzed using Endogenous switching model. This considers for possible self-selection in the estimation procedure to analyze demographic and socio-economic variables with a 0.05 level of significance. 55.65% were involved off-farm activities as their second income source whereas, 44.35% of the respondents were not involved. 61.90% of the respondents had an access of extension service, whereas 38.10% had no access to extension service. Therefore, Extension services should be strengthened in the study area since participation is the basic method used to ensure that new innovations are introduced to the dairy farmers.