Coping Strategies and Household Food Security in Drought-Prone Areas in Ethiopia: The Case of Lay Gayint District

Abstract

A range of factors from physical environmental circumstances to policy and institutions-related issues affect  households’ involvement in long-term strategies for positive livelihood outcomes. The general objective of this  study was to examine households’ response to undesirable situations for food security outcomes.  Questionnaire, in-depth interview and focus group discussions were the major data collection techniques. A  major finding is that despite the low level of productivity related to local environmental constraints, adaptation  strategies were not in a position to improve the livelihoods of the poor in the study area. The study  found out that, planting trees for the market, livestock diversification and natural resource conservation were  vital adaptive strategies employed by the better-off households. Short-term responses to meet the shortfall of consumption needs, such as selling charcoal and fuel wood, taking loans/credits and borrowing in kind or cash from friends were the major ex-post coping strategies practised by the poor and vulnerable households. In drought-prone areas such as Lay Gayint district, a serious problem for agricultural production is scarcity and irregularity of rainfall. Thus, there is the need to adapt early maturing and drought-resistant varieties, efficient use of available water and the growing of highland apple trees and planting Eucalyptus trees in accessible areas for better livelihoods.

Keywords: Agro-ecology, Livelihood diversification, Water harvesting, Lay Gayint, Ethiopia