The Nexus between livelihood diversification and farmland management strategies in rural Ethiopia

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not livelihood diversification strategies are significant predictors of rural households’ farmland management practices. To this end, the two-limit Tobit econometric model was employed to analyse the nexus between livelihood diversification and farmland management. The study incorporated 151 farm households in Gozamin District, East Gojjam, in Ethiopia. A survey questionnaire was used to gather data. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used as methods of data analysis. The result indicated that livelihood diversification, measured by the inverse Herfindahl–Hirschman diversity index, has a positive and significant effect on sustainable land management activities. Besides, farm households who participated in agricultural extension packages and those engaged in farm cooperatives and in non-farm wage employment activities joined significantly more in sustainable rural land management practices. The integrated rural livelihood and sustainable land management strategy that can help jointly maximise the farm household livelihood and the land management practices is required. Rural livelihood development policies need to promote and adapt rural institutions like farm cooperatives and comprehensive agricultural extension services.

Keywords

• farm household
• livelihood diversification
• sustainable land management
• tobit model