Thesis

Food Security, Determinants and Coping Strategies: The Case of Meket Woreda, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Food Security, Determinants and Coping Strategies: The Case of Meket Woreda, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia Birhanie, Mussie Food insecurity remains a persistent developmental challenge across rural communities in Ethiopia, with the Amhara Region continuously ranking as one of the country's most vulnerable areas. The objective of this study was to analyze the food security status, determinants and coping strategies in the context of Meket Woreda, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia. The study employed an explanatory sequential mixed research design, pairing quantitative household surveys with qualitative focus group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews (KIIs). Primary data were gathered from a randomly sampled cross-section of 286 rural household heads distributed across three distinct agro-ecological zones: Dega (highland), Woigna dega (midland) and Kolla (lowland). Household food security status was computed quantitatively via the World Food Programme’s (WFP) standardized Food Consumption Score (FCS). Determinants of household food security were modeled using an multiple linear regression analysis, while the coping strategies were analyzed using the reduced Coping Strategies Index (rCSI). The results revealed a high food insecurity with a striking 87% of surveyed households falling into either the “poor" or "borderline" food consumption categories. The overall sample mean FCS was 24.2, denoting widespread insecure dietary access. Notably, both a one-way ANOVA (F = 1.8518, p = 0.1588) and the final multiple linear regression model proved that agro-ecological placement was statistically non-significant, reflecting a "homogenization of vulnerability" where erratic macro-shocks overwhelm traditional elevation-based privileges. Econometric model results demonstrated that household size (ꞵ= 1.2469, p = 0.005) and distance to market centers (ꞵ= 0.0804, p = 0.023) exerted a highly significant positive relationship on household food consumption scores, validating the labor endowment hypothesis and localized market dependency dynamics. Conversely, being married (ꞵ= -4.5471, p = 0.042) negative impacted food security, highlighting vulnerabilities tied to high child-dependency burdens. To manage these problems, local smallholders deployed severe quantitative rationing mechanisms, with 52.4% forced into maternal/adult fasting and 50.3% utilizing portion restrictions to shield younger children. Furthermore, 39.5% of respondents identified plant pests and animal diseases as their most critical information deficit within local early warning systems. The study concludes that rural household food insecurity in Meket Woreda is structurally high across all ecological zones. Interventions must heavily on building institutional support. It is recommended that local government and development practitioners design tailored, shockresponsive social safety nets, expand off-farm livelihood diversification options to relieve nuclear household burdens, and strengthen early warning communication channels specifically covering transboundary crop pests and climate-driven livestock diseases.

Measurement and Determinants of Resilience to Drought Shock: The Case of Ebenat Woreda, Amhara National Regional State, Ethiopia

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Measurement and Determinants of Resilience to Drought Shock: The Case of Ebenat Woreda, Amhara National Regional State, Ethiopia Moges, Tsegaw Drought remains one of the most persistent climate-related shocks affecting rural livelihoods in Ethiopia, particularly in areas dependent on rain-fed agriculture. However, empirical evidence on the measurement and determinants of household resilience to drought shock remains limited in drought-prone localities such as Ebenat Wereda. This study aimed to assess the drought status of the area, measure household resilience to drought shock, and identify its key determinants. An explanatory quantitative-dominant mixed-methods research design based on cross-sectional data was employed. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 245 households from three agro-ecological zones. Historical rainfall data from the Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Stations (CHIRPS) dataset for the period 1981–2025 were analyzed using the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI). The SPI analysis revealed that 28 years (62.22%) were below the mean precipitation level, while 17 years (37.78%) were above normal, indicating recurrent agricultural drought occurring on average every 2.65 years. Extreme drought events were recorded in 1984, 1987, and 2009, whereas 1982 and 2015 experienced severe drought conditions. Descriptive statistics were employed to summarize the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the sampled households. The resilience measurement results showed that 15.92% of households were less resilient, 72.24% were moderately resilient, and 11.84% were highly resilient. The PCA identified access to basic services loading (0.909), asset ownership loading (0.649), and adaptive capacity loading (0.583) as the principal dimensions contributing to household resilience, while social safety net participation exhibited a negative loading, indicating its concentration among structurally vulnerable households. The ordered logistic regression results indicated that agro-ecological location, occupational diversification, livestock holding, landholding size, access to early warning information, indigenous climate adaptation knowledge, use of new crop varieties, adoption of early maturing crop varieties, and use of drought-tolerant crop varieties positively and significantly influenced household resilience. The study concludes that drought is a recurrent challenge in Ebenat Wereda, implying the need for policies that strengthen productive assets, adaptive capacity, climate information services, and climate-smart agricultural practices to enhance household resilience to drought shocks.

Drought Patterns and Households’ Resilience to Shocks in Sehala Seyemt District of Wag Hemra Administrative Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia

Sat, 01 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Drought Patterns and Households’ Resilience to Shocks in Sehala Seyemt District of Wag Hemra Administrative Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia Abebaw, MELKAMU Any attempt to increase the capacities of people who experience shocks from drought and food insecurity regularly must start with a basic comprehension of resilienceroots. The study focuses on households’ resilience to drought and shocks in SehalaSeyemt Woreda in Wag Hemra Zone, Amhara region. The study also investigated households’ food security status and their interaction with resilience and shocks. Theresearch employed a cross-sectional design with a mixed research approach. Thestudy area was selected purposefully. The woreda embraced thirteen KebelesHowever, the study selected three Kebeles randomly, and a total of 326 respondents were selected using a simple random sampling technique and allocated in proportionto the population size of the Kebeles. Two focus group discussions were also held each Kebele. The Standard Precipitation Index, multivariate stage confirmatory factor analysis, household multidimensional food insecurity index, and ordinalogistic regression model were employed to analyze the data. The StandarPrecipitation Index assessment indicated that drought in the study area had significantly risen between 1992 and 2022. From the confirmatory factor analysis, thehousehold asset index was the most critical positive factor with a factor loading 0.831 for households being resilient or not, followed by households’ access to basiservices with a positive factor loading of 0.819 and households’ adaptive capacitwith a positive factor loading of 0.75. A significant portion (73.31%) of the householdlies under moderate resilience and non-resilient status, and a sizeable portion (61%of the household has moderately and severely food insecure status. The interactiveffect of households’ resilience pillar and shock exposure on households’ food security status indicated that assets, access to basic services, and adaptive capacitpossess a negative and highly significant effect on households’ food insecurity statusand shock exposure has a significant and positive effect on households’ food insecurity status. This study revealed drought concerns affecting householdresilience and food security. Urgent interventions are needed to enhance resiliencand address evolving food security dynamics, emphasizing sustainable initiatives build household coping strategies to shock and bounce back better aftershockoccurrence. The findings contribute to the discourse on creating secure, sustainableinitiatives and a resilient future.

Drivers and Impact of Urban Expansion on Livelihood Assets of Peri-Urban Farmers in The Case of Debark Town, Amhara National Regional State, Ethiopia

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Drivers and Impact of Urban Expansion on Livelihood Assets of Peri-Urban Farmers in The Case of Debark Town, Amhara National Regional State, Ethiopia zerihun, Kibur Urban expansion-induced displacement is becoming a major concern in Ethiopia, within different parts of the region. Debark is one of rapidly urbanizing town in Amhara region. Therefore, this study was aimed to assess the drivers and impacts of urban expansion on livelihood assets of peri-urban farmers in Debark town. This study was mainly focused on drivers and its impacts on livelihood assets and land use land cover change. Cross sectional survey was applied in three peri urban kebeles of Debark town on 282 (139 displaced and 143 non-displaced) households. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative approach. Multi stage sampling technique was employed to select the study area, kebeles, and sample households. Descriptive statistics, factor analysis, logistic regression model integrated with propensity score matching methods were used to analyze the data. Supervised maximum likelihood classification technique used to map land use land cover change. The results found from key informants indicated that, rural to urban migration, increasing natural population, and economic development were the major drivers of urban expansion. The result found from econometric model showed that the impacts of urban expansion on peri urban farmers’ livelihood assets, natural, financial, and social capital were decreased for displaced households at a value of (-0.443), (-0.172), and (-0.166) respectively, with significant and negative value. In contrary, physical capital for displaced households was increased by 0.177. As a result, the average livelihood assets were decreased for displaced households at a value of (-0.159) and significant at p<0.01 indicates at 1% significance levels. The results from land use land cover detection indicated that in the study periods, the built-up area increased at the expanse of cultivated and forest land by +14.8%, 12.1% and 26.9% with corresponding year 2001 to2013, 2013 to 2021 and 2001 to 2021 respectively. Finally, the study recommends that, the urban expansion program should be based on the consideration of livelihood asset of peri urban farmers’ analysis before expansion.