YOUTH LIVELIHOOD STRATEGIES AND ITS DETERMINANT FACTORS, THE CASE OF GUBALAFTO WOREDA, NORTH WOLLO, AMHARA REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

This study investigates the livelihood strategies of rural youths of Gubalafto Woreda of north Wollo zone of Amhara regional State in Ethiopia. The main objective of the study was to identify livelihood strategies of rural youths, to identify the determinant factors which affect rural youth livelihood strategies and to know major challenges and opportunities of youths in the study area of GubalaftoWoreda. The study employed mixed method of data collection and analysis (qualitative and quantitative). Focus group discussion, survey and youth house hold interview were carried out at community, district, and Kebel levels. The descriptive statics were used to identify the livelihood strategies of rural youths and youth livelihood assets. In this regard the major assets of youths are identified and assessed and model was used to identify the determinant factors of youth livelihood strategies in the study area. Based on the descriptive analysis the major livelihood activities identified in the study area are agriculture, the combination of agriculture and off-farming, the combination of agriculture and non-farming and the combination of agriculture, off-farming and non-farming. In line with this 43% of youths mainly those living in Kolla-agro-ecological zones are using agriculture only, 16% of youths living in Dega and Woyina-Dega are using the combination of agriculture and off-farming, 28% of youths living in Dega and Woyina-Dega agro ecological zone are depending on the combinations of agriculture, and non-farming the remaining 12% uses the combination of agriculture, off-farming non farming activities. The involvement of youths on non-farming activity was analyzed separately and 69% of youths told that they are engaging on non-farming activities. The major non-farming activities of rural youths in the study area are pity trading, daily laboring, remittances and migration. In line with this 45% of rural youths are generating income from daily laboring, 37.5% of them from pity trading and 11% from remittances. The determinants of livelihood strategies of rural youths of the study area was analyzed with multinomial regression model and out of 16 independent variables 7 of them are significantly determinants of rural youth livelihood strategies. The dependent variables which are significant for the determinants of livelihood strategies are agroecology, marriage status of youths, youth total annual cash income, challenge of food gap, ownerships of youths of own house, farm tools and distances of nearest market.