1,720,983 research outputs found
Causes of Seasonal Food Insecurity in Oromiya Zone of Amhara Region: Farmers\u27 View
Full text linkEthiopia is currently facing challenging problems, ranging from those induced by environmental crises to those caused by demographic and socio-economic constraints which adversely affect peoples` production system. The country is generally characterized by extreme poverty, continued and high population growth rate, severe environmental degradation and recurrent drought (Getachew 1995; Markos,1997, NOVIB, 1999). Resulting from these, the performance of agriculture, the sector that makes livelihood for 85% of the country’s population, has been poor over the last few decades, to the extent that the country could not adequately feed its population from domestic production. This has been manifested in the prevailing chronic and transitory food insecurity which have almost become structural phenomena and the way of life for a significant proportion of the population of the country
Pathways of livelihood transformation among Borana of southern Ethiopia
No full textWhether pastoral communities should sustain through pure pastoral way of life or diversify their sources of livelihoods by growing some crops and engaging in non-pastoral activities has become a contested issue. This article discusses how the livelihood system of the Borana people shifts from pure pastoralism to agro pastoralism as well as to non-pastoral activities in response to various natural disasters and human factors. The paper is drawn on an exploratory qualitative study conducted at the two selected sites in Yabello Woreda of the Borana Zone. Data was generated by conducting Key Informants Interviews, Focus Group Discussions, Individual Case Studies and Direct Observations.The Borana’s livestock resource has declined and hence impoverishment expanded over years. Milk yield per cow per day has fallen, and the breeding time of cows increased. Some pastoralists have decided to settle down and engage in crop production and non-pastoral activities. They have diversified their sources of income by integrating livestock rearing with crop production and non-farm activities, which require sedentrization either in rural or urban settings. Their main food stuff has shifted from livestock products - milk and milk products dominant to grain – Badala (maize) dominant. Relying on Badala Tumma as sole food stuff has adversely affected their balanced diet. It is suggested that the Borana people should seriously think about diversifying sources of their food stuffs. The crop production and non-farm livelihood activities among the Borana deserve concrete back up related to institutional capacity development, technical and knowledge, financial and infrastructural development.Keywords: Borana, livelihood transformation, pastoralism, agro-pastoralism, food security, Badala Tumm
Famine and its Causes in the Perspective of the Modern Geographical Thoughts
No full textThe paper argues that famine researches, based on various philosophies of contemporary geography would generate knowledge with different perspectives. Positivists mainly seek to identify factors that induce famine. An in-depth understanding of the processes of famine must rely upon humanists’ approaches. In cases where investigations on famines are made in regard to poverty alleviation through empowering the poor and other marginal segments of a society, structuralism approaches become the most appropriate. It is concluded that famine being a multi-faceted socio-economic problem, and hence a research depending on single philosophical underpinning cannot come out with comprehensive knowledge of it. Therefore, a research project that entertains positivists, humanists and structuralists at a time can come up with somehow complete insights and observations, which in turn enable to prevent citizens from the agony of hunger and eradicate famine
Environmental and Socioeconomic Factors Encouraging and Discouraging Belg Farming: The Case of Munessa Wereda
Full text linkThe main objective olthe study was to investigate why thelarmers insome Peasant Associations (PAs) oJ rain receiving dega agro-climatic zone 01Munessa wereda have lailed to practice belg larming. Data utilized lor the studywere generated through a sample survey 01220 households in eight PAs. The surveydata have been tabulated and summarized by utilizing the Statistical Package lorSocial Scientists (SPSS). More specifically, the Point Score Analysis was adopted toidentify the most importantlactors encouraging belg larming among belg growers,on the one hand, and the most discouraging lactors lor practice 01 belg cropproduction among non-belg growers, on the other. The results revealed that theavailability of adequate belg rain, lillie water-logging problem during the belggrowing season, a lillie incidence 01 crop damage by birds, and the absence olfrostare the principal physicallactors encouraging larmers 10 practice belg larming inBelemeda, Ego Dengago, Ego Yedolla and Ego Legedana PAs. Likewise, al/aininghousehold load and seed security, production 01 belg crops by olher larmers in thecommunity, increase 01 crop prices during belg harvesl and holding adequatelarmland are Ihe main socioeconomic reasons lor growing belg crops. Farmers innon-belg grower PAs, i.e., Choba, Kama Ana, Koji Kenchere and Neno Legedanahave lailed to take advantage 01 double cropping because ollhe interaction betweenthe various physical and socioeconomic lactors. Unreliability 01 belg rain lor 96.6per cent 01 the larmers, dijJiculty olland preparation under a lillie belg rain lor 98.3per cent olthem and allack olcrops by birds lor 87.9 per cent ollhe same areloundto be Ihe most lormidable physical hindrances to growing belg crops in Ko}iKenchere and Neno Legedena PAs. Similarly, aUack 01 belg crops by birds lor allrespondents (100%) and the damage 01 belg crops by excessive summer rain lor 74per cent olthe respondent appeared as Ihe mosl discouraging environmentallactorsto belg larming in Kama Ana and Choba PAs. Absence 01 cooperation amonglarmers, inadequate larmland and lack 01 capital to purchase larm inputs wereidenlified as the principal socia-economic hindrances lor 90.8, 72.5, and 60.5 percent respectively 01 the non-belg grower larme~s. II is concluded that belg larmingcan be carried out in all non-belg grower PAs under investigation by promotingcooperation and mutual undp.rstonding among the beneficiaries themselves
The Role of Local Institutions and Social Capital in Household for Food Security: A Case Study at Two Rural Communities in Oromiya Zone, Amhara Region
No full textThe paper discusses the issue of how a number of local institutions and social capital contribute for addressing livelihood resources, which in turn help in augmenting household level food security. Sustainable Livelihood Framework (SLF) underpins the conceptual background of the study. Qualitative social research methods of observations, focus group discussions, key informant interviews and case studies were employed to generate first-hand data among the inhabitants of the two communities. Institutions such as wedaja, fatimaye, telamma and abdoye are practiced mainly in connection with people’s belief through which they express their world outlooks and wishes. Absence of nature-related crisis (drought, flooding, human and livestock disasters) and human induced problems such as disputes and conflicts are believed to be the outcomes of proper and timely exercising of the necessary rituals that are attached to the various institutions. Avoidance of the risk is equated with minimizing vulnerability to food insecurity. Other institutions like kaya, kire, tassiga and hirppa have overwhelmingly economic contexts since they were set up as strategies for getting access to livelihood resources. Societal transfers among community members (through zakka, and borrowing human labour, getting access to farm oxen, etc), and transfers in kind and cash from government and NGOs have considerable role in maintaining livelihood and food security
Linkages between Water Supply and Sanitation (WSS) and Food Security in Four Case Study Communities of East Hararghe Zone, Oromia Region'
Full text linkThe study aims at assessing the relationship between water supply and sanitatiol!andfood security. The methods used to obtain the data included household surveysand 'panicipatory rural appraisal' (PRA) methods. The latter included focusgroup discussions, case study households, and key illfomUlIll interviews with theelder/y, development agenTs. health extension workers and NGO representatives.The resullS of the study revealed that the villagers of Gaja in Ida Jalela Kebele.who have got water schemes, cast doubts on the safeness and cleanliness of thewater. The inhabitants of Sirba village in /fa Kebele, who have also waterschemes. feel that the water supply is inadequate to meet household requirements.The other /wo kebefes that hnve no access to water schemes. viz. Shek Abdi illBabile Woreda and Burakssa in Goro Gutu. use water from natural sources tha!are neither clean nor locaIed nearer to their homesteads. Lack of access to safewater ho.s affected sanitarian and brought about health problems for humans andlivestock, wastage of time and labour power, and inability to intensify agriculturethrough irrigation. The people in the study villages are food insecure with threeqllanersof the households being unable to sustain themselves all year round.Factors that adversely affect crop production, livestock raising. earnings fromnon-farm activities, alld food utilizations explain households' food insecurity. TheVillagers in both woredas have put forward the following measures to improvetheir food insecurity situations: expansion of irrigation agriculture, construction ofbig water JUpp/y .~chemes and development of water paints for livestock
Food Security Status of People with Disabilities in Selassie Kebele, Hawassa Town, Southern Ethiopia
No full textThe paper is about the food security of people with disabilities in Hawassa town. The situations of people with physical, vision, and speech and/or hearing type of disabilities were studied on the basis of Key Informant Interviews, Focus Group Discussion and conducting exploratory household questionnaire survey. Food security indicators such as income, food self-sufficiency and frequency of meals per days were assessed. Coping Strategy Index (CSI) was the technique employed to assess food security status at household level. It was found that people with disabilities mostly depend upon family members’ compassion and charity to sustain their livelihoods. Likewise, a lack of awareness, self-interest, family and community members’ lack of knowledge and misperceived attitudes have prevented people with disabilities from being independent in their sources of livelihood and attaining food security. Disabilities made them somehow powerless in decision making. Majority of the sample respondents were chronically food insecure. Individuals with physical type of disabilities accounted for the largest proportion of those who are illiterate as well as unemployed. The same group was more vulnerable to food insecurity than their counterparts with other types of disabilities. PWDs cope with food shortage by limiting portion of size at meal, eating less preferred and cheap foods and begging on the streets. Improving the food security of PWDs should receive the attention of all concerned actors. It is important to create jobs that fit to the situation of PWDs, access them to training, credit, marketing facilities and treatment and increasing public awareness about the situations of the PWDs
The Contribution of Urban Agriculture to Food Security of Individual Urban Farmers in Yeka Sub City, Addis Ababa
No full textThe study aimed to assess the contribution of urban agriculture to food security of households in lVoredas [Districts} 1, 2 and 3 of Jeka SubCity, Addis Ababa. The research covered the entire population (86) as the size was manageable. The primary data were collected mainly through household survey focus group discussion (FGD), and key informant interview. Descriptive statistics .frequency and the Pearson correlation co4ficient were used for the analysis of quantitative data. Data .from key informants and focus group discussion were transcribed, thematically classified, analysed and interoperated . The research followed purposive sampling technique in order to select the study area. As it contains the largest number of individual formers practising urban agriculture compared to the other Sub-Cities. World Food Programme Food Consumption Score Analytical Tool was employed to measure the food security status of a given household Findings showed that 7 4. 4% if the households studied were food-secure while 24.4% and 1.2% of the households were mildly and severely food insecure, respectively. It was also revealed that there is sign!ficant relationship between food security status and income. Urban agriculture contributes to one-third of the total income if the household On top of urban agricultur~ urban formers in Jeka Sub-City of Addis Ababa earn their income .from informal livelihood activities. Urban agriculture proved to play a sign!ficant role in improving the households 'food security and income. It has provided employment, cheap food and nutrition. Lack if farmland and water were the main challenges of urban formers. Institutional support makes a dilforence in improving urban formers productivity and thereby their food security status. Agricultural inputs like land and water are serious challenges of the urban formers. Hence_ in consultation with urban formers, relevant government offices and non-governmental organisations that are active in the area have to work in better integration and attempt to address the challenge if urban formers. Unused and wasted plots of land should be identified and be provided to the urban formers. Training has to be given based on needs. These minimise waste if resources and help utilise the scarce resources for the improvement of the sector and to the benifit if the urban formers. Keywords: Urban agriculture, food security, individual urban farmers, Yeka Sub-City, Addis Abab
The Contribution of Urban Agriculture to Food Security of Individual Urban Farmers in Yeka Sub City, Addis Ababa
No full textThe study aimed to assess the contribution of urban agriculture to food
security of households in lVoredas [Districts} 1, 2 and J of Jeka SubCity,
Addis Ababa. The research covered the entire population (86) as the size
was manageable. The primary data were collected mainly through household
surve~focus group discussion (FGD), and key informant interview. Descriptive
statistic~ .frequenc~ and the Pearson correlation co4Jicient were used
for the analysis of quantitative data. Data .from key informants and focus
group discussion were transcribed, thematically c!ass!fied, analysed and
interoperated. The research followed purposive sampling technique in order
to select the study area. As it contains the largest number of individual formers
practising urban agriculture compared to the other Sub-Cities. lVorid Food
Programme Food Consumption Score Analytical Tool was employed to measure
the food security status of a given household Findings showed that 74. 4% if the
households studied were food-secure while 24.4% and 1.2% of the households
were mildly and severely food insecure, respectively. It was also revealed that
there is sign!ficant relationship betweenfood security status and income. Urban
agriculture contributes to one-third if the total income if the household On
top of urban agricultur~ urban formers in Jeka Sub-City of Addis Ababa earn
their income .from informal livelihood activities. Urban agriculture proved to
playa sign!ficant role in improving the households '.food security and income. It has provided employment, cheap food and nutrition. Lack if farmland and
water were the main challenges of urban formers. Institutional support makes a
dilforence in improving urban formers productivity and thereby their food security
status. Agricultural inputs like land and water are serious challenges of the
urban formers. Henc~ in consultation with urban formers, relevant government
ojjices and non-governmental organisations that are active in the area have to
work in better integration and attempt to address the challenge if urban formers.
Unused and wasted plots of land should be identified and be proVided to the
urbanformers. Training has to be given based on needs. These minimise waste if
resources and help utilise the scarce resources for the improvement of the sector
and to the ben¢t if the urban formers
Food Security Status of People with Disabilities in Selassie Kebele, Hawassa Town, Southern Ethiopia
Full text linkThe paper is about the food security of people with disabilities in Hawassa town. The situations of people with physical, vision, and speech and/or hearing type of disabilities were studied on the basis of Key Informant Interviews, Focus Group Discussion and conducting exploratory household questionnaire survey. Food security indicators such as income, food self-sufficiency and frequency of meals per days were assessed. Coping Strategy Index (CSI) was the technique employed to assess food security status at household level. It was found that people with disabilities mostly depend upon family members’ compassion and charity to sustain their livelihoods. Likewise, a lack of awareness, self-interest, family and community members’ lack of knowledge and misperceived attitudes have prevented people with disabilities from being independent in their sources of livelihood and attaining food security. Disabilities made them somehow powerless in decision making. Majority of the sample respondents were chronically food insecure. Individuals with physical type of disabilities accounted for the largest proportion of those who are illiterate as well as unemployed. The same group was more vulnerable to food insecurity than their counterparts with other types of disabilities. PWDs cope with food shortage by limiting portion of size at meal, eating less preferred and cheap foods and begging on the streets. Improving the food security of PWDs should receive the attention of all concerned actors. It is important to create jobs that fit to the situation of PWDs, access them to training, credit, marketing facilities and treatment and increasing public awareness about the situations of the PWDs.Keywords: disability, food security, coping mechanisms, PWDs, Hawass
- …
