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The study evaluated the impact of adopting improved coffee Arabica on organic coffee producers’ households’ livelihoods by employing data obtained from 120 coffee producer households in the Gedeo zone. The generalised propensity-score matching methodology is used to analyse the data. The approach was used to match families with similar variables and varying levels of enhanced Arabica coffee adoption intensity. The technique proved efficient in elucidating non-linear causal links between adoption intensities, dosages, and outcome variables. The average dose-response or impact function was calculated by averaging consumer expenditure, household per capita income, and calorie intake per AE at various levels of adoption intensities. The result showed that initially, coffee production had a negative impact on kilocalories per adult equivalent (AE) but turned positive following an adoption dose that reached the optimum. The improved Arabica coffee varieties’ optimal adoption dose is 71.42%, and the equivalent annual household calorie consumption is 2,384.80 kilocalories per AE. However, the impact of coffee Arabica adoption on consumption expenditure was initially positive, but it turned negative after the adoption dose reached its optimum. The level of optimum adoption is 28.41, and the annual household consumption expenditure was 13704 Ethiopian Birr. Furthermore, at an optimum level of 83.66%, the intensity of adoption and income of coffee producers had a positive impact. In this context, policies that promote the efficiency of coffee production and minimize the barriers to farmer adoption provide the most optimal land allocation for improved technology and, in doing so, improve the lives of households.

AbstractLow standard of constructed structures, weak land management, unskilled human power, dependency on rain-fed agriculture and natural assets for household farmers’ survival make livelihood systems in the study area complex, dynamic and food insecure. The aim of this research paper was to assess and analyze the effect of physical structures on crop yield, annual income and smallholder farmers livelihood based on the data of 2020 and 2021 harvest years. The data was collected from a survey of 262 total household head farmers of which 132 were structureadopters while 130 were nonadopters (nonusers). Household heads were selected using simple random sampling techniques. The statistical data were analyzed using chi-square, t-test and SPSS version 20 software while the economic data were analyzed using econometric models such as propensity score matching, average treatment effect and logistic regression. Focus group discussions, key informant interviews and personal observations were also held to gather qualitative data. The results show that the adoption of physical structures has had a significant and positive impact on smallholder farmers’ incomes, crop productivity and livelihoods. Therefore, the adoption of physical structures in Wenago district, southern Ethiopia should be continued and encouraged as much as possible.

Soil erosion and its consequences is one of the major serious problems in Ethiopia. Even though adoption of soil and water conservation (SWC) measures has been underway for the past three decades, the implementation and use of introduced technologies were below the expectation and the problem is still has continued in the country. The study was aimed at assessing the implemented physical designs of soil and water conservation structures in respect to the standards and identifying the major adoption determinant factors in Wenago district, southern Ethiopia. The data for this studywas collected from a survey of 262 total household farmers selected through simple random sampling techniques in the year 2020/21 and the datawas analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square and logistic regression model via SPSS and Stata soft wares. Focus group discussion, key informant interview and personal observation were also undertaken to gather data having qualitative nature. (i) About 55.6% of the implemented physical design failed to meet the standards (ii) Adoption of SWC measures were determined by 47.4% of the tested variables (iii) 55.5% of the variables were significantly associated at 5% probability level between adopters and non-adopters in terms of adoption of SWC measures in the study area. Overall, we conclude that construction of conservation structures should be focused on minimizing the observed mismatch of the implemented physical designs against the standards. This study is expected to contribute in achieving sustainable land management schemes, agricultural productivity and smallholder farmers livelihood improvement in international, national, regional and local level and it is strongly recommended that policy makers and technical institutions should address SWC related issues to ensure rural farmers food security.

AbstractEthiopia has suffered from degradation of forests and loss of biodiversity as a result of anthropogenic activities mainly for the purpose of expanding farm lands, construction materials, fuel wood and charcoal production. The objective of the study was to assess the status of exclosure comparing with adjacent open grazing land. In each area exclosure and open grazing land uses, a plot of 20 m x 20 m, 10 m x 10 m and 2 m x 2 m area size for trees, shrubs and herbs, respectively, was drawn using systematic method. A total of 66 plots in 10 hectare area were sampled along the transect line. Diameter at breast height (DBH) was measured using caliper, and tree height was measured using clinometer and Woody species data were analyzed through Shannon–Wiener diversity index (H1) and Sorensen similarity coefficient indices (Is) using SPSS version 20, excel software and the linear relationship between diversity mean value and land uses were compared using chi-square. A total of 35 plant species belonging to 25 families were identified and recorded. Shannon’s species diversity index (H') in exclosure and adjacent open grazing was 2.591 and 0.889, respectively. Exclosure had a significantly higher number of woody species diversity compared to adjacent open grazing land. Herbs were not influenced by both compared land uses. In order to keep the present progress and rehabilitation status of woody diversity, sustainable management of area exclosure is very necessary and planners, policy makers and stakeholders need coordination and participatory based plant species conservation strategies.

Abstract This paper examines impacts of Prosopis juliflora (hereinafter may be referred as ‘Prosopis’) invasion on livelihoods of agro (pastoral) households using detailed household data in rural Dire Dawa Administration of Ethiopia. Cross-sectional data were collected from a total of 450 sample households whereby 250 were from Prosopis-invaded households and the remaining 200 from non-Prosopis-invaded households. The major research question of the study was, ‘what would be the livelihoods of Prosopis-invaded households had they not been invaded by Prosopis?’ To answer this question, descriptive and econometric tools were employed. The study results revealed that family size, dependency ratio and access to irrigation had negative and significant relationships with Prosopis invasion. On the other hand, age of the household head, Tropical Livestock Unit (TLU) and engagement in food for work programmes were positively related to Prosopis invasion. The results of this study show that the positive effects of Prosopis invasion were pronounced in terms of education expenditure, average annual income from crop production, off-farm income, food and non-food expenditure and physical food consumption, whereas there has been negative effects of Prosopis invasion due to reduced income generation from milk products. In this study, possible recommendations were drawn for stakeholders in order to reverse Prosopis adverse effects and optimize the positive impacts of this species in the study area.