ANALYSIS OF LIVELIHOOD DIVERSIFICATION IN MIYO PASTORAL COMMUNITY OF SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA: IMPLICATION FOR ENHANCEMENT

Abstract

This study was carried out to quantitatively analyze the livelihood diversification of Miyo pastoral communities in Southern Ethiopia. Although livelihood diversification is frequently viewed as a critical component of pastoral economies, quantitative analysis is missing. To fill this gap, this study was carried out using a questionnaire administered to 120 randomly selected respondents. Demographic, socioeconomic characteristics and livelihood asset endowments of the households analyzed by means of descriptive statistics, multinomial logit regression model, one way ANOVA and Chi-square. The study revealed the extent of diversification of pastoralists livelihood into crop production, petty trades combined with very limited wage, broker and aloe vera soap production (by women groups) opportunities next to remittance. The study also showed the factors influencing livelihood diversification of pastoral communities. The results had indicated that all households have diverse income sources. It is concluded that contemporary pastoral livelihoods were far from homogeneity. Thus, policy makers should avoid the one size fit all prescription and enhance diversification strategies that fit pastoralist’s century old experiences. Specific areas of interventions including marketing linkage creation, enhancing access to education, and information centers are suggested and be provided to enable pastoralists actively engage in varied livelihood sources. Finally, it was therefore recommended that enabling environment in relation to appropriate land use planning for appropriate use of range resources and farming so as to increase their income sources and address their poverty situation in order to cope with the ecosystem vulnerability in a participatory manner.