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This study evaluates the effect of nonfarm income on monetary and multidimensional poverty
in rural Ethiopia as well as consumption inequality. Gini coefficient, Lorenz curve, Atkinson
and General Entropy measures are employed to estimate the effect of nonfarm income on consumption
inequality. On the other hand, Foster-Greer-Thorbecke (FGT) and the Alkire Foster
method are used to measure monetary and multidimensional poverty respectively. Inverseprobabilityweighted
regression adjustment, which also controls for other correlates of outcome
variables, provides the average treatment effect on the treated with alternative specifications and
propensity score matching methods used to check robustness. Using data from Ethiopia Socioeconomic
Survey (ESS) 2018/19, all income inequality method employed estimates showed
that there are consumption inequality differences between nonfarm participants and nonparticipants
in rural Ethiopia. Gini coefficient, Lorenz curve, Atkinson and General Entropy estimates
revealed that nonfarm nonparticipants are in higher consumption inequality than nonfarm participants
showed that nonfarm income decreases consumption inequality. Also, it revealed that
across the region, consumption inequality is highest in SNNPR as well as males are relatively
in higher consumption inequality than females. The monetary poverty measure, FGT shows
that nonfarm nonparticipants are in higher monetary poverty than nonfarm participants revealing
that nonfarm income decreases monetary poverty among rural households. FGT estimates
also revealed that SNNPR and Tigray region are in high monetary poverty relatively. The
multidimensional poverty method, Alkire Foster’s (AF) estimate showed that nonfarm nonparticipants
are in higher multidimensional poverty than participants. The result of IPWRA
showed that nonfarm income decreases monetary and multidimensional poverty by 7.8% and
1.6% respectively; while nonfarm income share decreases the intensity of monetary and multidimensional
poverty by 8.2% and 1.8% respectively. Also, PSM methods (kernel and radius
matching) estimates showed that nonfarm income has a significant reducing effect on monetary
and multidimensional poverty. Overall, nonfarm occupation decreases poverty and inequality
in rural Ethiopia. Therefore, to enhance the benefit of nonfarm income in reducing poverty and
inequality the government and other stakeholders should give priority to strengthening the provision
of credit access and encourage rural households to participate in nonfarmeconomic activity. |
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