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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol. 11, No. 6
Publication Date: June 25, 2024
DOI:10.14738/assrj.116.17037.
Mossissa, A. T., Mulongo, L. S., & Mining, P. (2024). Dynamics towards Sustainable Food Security in Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASAL)
Parts of Oromia Regional State in Ethiopia. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 11(6). 79-97.
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Dynamics towards Sustainable Food Security in Arid and Semi- Arid Land (ASAL) Parts of Oromia Regional State in Ethiopia
Almaz Taffesse Mossissa
School of Arts and Social Sciences, Moi University, Kenya
Leonard Simiyu Mulongo
School of Arts and Social Sciences, Moi University, Kenya
Pacifica Mining
School of Arts and Social Sciences, Moi University, Kenya
ABSTRACT
The main question policymakers as well as researchers are facing is ascertaining an
appropriate way for sustainable food security in most ASAL parts of Africa. The
efficacy of interventions is often hindered by lack of comprehensive understanding
of local contexts and the socioeconomic landscape such as insufficient
infrastructure and an inequitable distribution of resources that further complicate
efforts, exacerbating food insecurity. The paper is based on a study undertaken in
the Oromia region of Ethiopia, whose main objective was to assess the dynamics
towards sustainable food security in the study area. The study used mixed method
research approach and convergent research design. Using multistage and
systematic random sampling techniques, a sample size of 397 households was
generated from the 58,632 target household population of the study area. Data was
collected using questionnaires, focus group discussions, and structured interviews.
Results from regression analysis showed that there was a statistically significant
negative correlation between restricted mobility (P-value=.000), land degradation
(P-value=.031), biodiversity loss (P-value=.001), water shortage (P-value=.027),
conflict (P-value=.000), and poor market facilities (P-value=.022) and household
food production (at P-value <0.05). The study concludes that sustainable food
security can be achieved by empowering the people through enhancing access to
land resources and improving their market integration. It is, therefore, been
recommended that coordinated efforts by national, regional, and local government
bodies be undertaken to enhance food security sustainability by strengthening
essential services such as market networks, raising awareness, and implementing
policies that facilitate communities’ access to and sustainable utilization of land
resources.
Keywards: ASAL, Dynamics, Ethiopia, Oromia, Sustainable food security.
INTRODUCTION
The World Food Summit emphasizing sustainability over time, describes food security as a
situation “...when all people at all times have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and
nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for active and healthy life” [50,
20]. Food availability dimension in this definition of food security refers to the consistent
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presence of a sufficient amount and appropriate variety of food supplies through domestic
production, import/exchange or food aid. The decline in food availability was the earlier
explanation for hunger and food insecurity during the 1970s, mainly attributed to climate
change and increasing population [14, 37].
The access dimension of food security concerns to individuals physical and economic ability to
secure food. This perspective shifted the focus of food security in the 1980s from macro-level
national food production to micro-level individual access to adequate resources [14, 20].
Utilization addresses the nutritional value and food safety. Subsequently, the World Bank
introduced the stability dimension, emphasizing the need for the three dimensions to be
sustained overtime even amidst temporal dynamics such as sudden climatic shocks, economic
downturns, health crises and conflicts or during seasonal variations [20, 13].
Ensuring sustainable food security remains elusive, particularly in arid and semi-arid land
(ASAL) parts of Africa. This is evident from the numerous intervention efforts made in these
parts, where no clear picture has emerged, and outcomes often fall short of long-term
sustainability goals. ASAL parts are among the most affected areas by global climate change
[47]. These regions are characterized by climatic shocks such as droughts, temperature
fluctuations, rainfall variability, floods, soil erosion, and disease outbreaks in both livestock and
humans, all of which have an adverse impact on agricultural food production, subsequently
affecting people’s food security [47, 10]. This has been compounded by the numerous
challenges of ascertaining intervention strategies that not only address immediate food needs
but also resilience against future crises. Previous studies have shown that inappropriate
government development policies, weak governance, and conflicts leading to livelihood
vulnerability were sources of famine in these parts of the county [5, 15].
The ASAL parts covers about 60% of Ethiopia’s total land area, and between 13-15% of the
country’s population make their livelihood from this part of the country. Pastoralism and semi- pastoralism are the major food production strategies in the ASAL parts of Ethiopia, and
communities in the areas depend on livestock rearing, although crop farming and irrigation are
also practiced to some extent. However, the populations in ASAL parts of Ethiopia are
characterized by chronic food insecurity and poverty with growing dependency on aid due to
increasing dynamics despite governments’ efforts through the implementation of various food
security policies and programs [41].
Like in the other parts of Africa, ASAL parts of Ethiopia are fragile ecosystems with scarce
resources most affected by the global climate change. High rainfall variability that causes
shortages of water, drought and spread of human and livestock diseases affect agricultural
productivity and cause food shortages in these areas [26]. However, scholars argue that food
production in Ethiopia’s ASAL parts faces intricate dynamics that profoundly affect people’s
food production systems and undermine their adaptation strategies. These dynamics are
influenced by macro-level political events, such as shifts in land use policies. Studies show that
Ethiopia’s land use policy changes, including the expansion of mega projects, sedentarization,
crop farming, and the Productive Safety net Programme (PSNP), as mechanisms for enhancing
food security, have hardily alleviated poverty and food insecurity in these regions [24].
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Mossissa, A. T., Mulongo, L. S., & Mining, P. (2024). Dynamics towards Sustainable Food Security in Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASAL) Parts of Oromia
Regional State in Ethiopia. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 11(6). 79-97.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.116.17037
Additionally, ASAL areas pastoral and agro-pastoral communities highly depend on the market
to generate income, for the exchange of livestock and livestock products for cereals and other
food commodities as well as for livelihood diversification. However, parts communities in these
fragile lands have weak market integration due to poorly developed infrastructure and limited
access to market information. Increasing conflict over access to resources has also increased in
the region due to land use policy changes ([19]. Livelihood diversification strategies are poorly
developed in these parts of the country and the communities have poor adaptive capacities.
Employment and income earning opportunities are often restricted to activities that do not
generate sufficient income to mitigate the growing shocks and stresses resulting from dynamic
changes in the area, thus impeding their capacity to meet their food needs. Thus, the challenge
of climate change, along with intricate socioeconomic and environmental dynamics has
continued to pose significant obstacles to achieve food security and people in these parts of the
country suffer from the highest poverty and food insecurity [41, 43, 27]. By assessing the
dynamics of food security in Fantale and Boset districts of Oromia region in Ethiopia, this study
aims to identify and address the underlying drivers of food insecurity, promoting a sustainable
food system in these areas.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Food insecurity and widespread poverty remained persistent in ASAL parts of Ethiopia due to
various factors that challenged the food production system in the area. The productivity of
sedentary farming that was implemented in ASAL parts as adaptation strategy for food security
has been challenged by multiple dynamics besides the region’s climatic extremes such as
recurrent drought and rainfall variability. Land privatization and continued communal land
expropriation that followed the government’s land use policy changes has restricted pastoral
and agro-pastoral communities’ access to land resources and increased inequalities in
accessing and controlling over land resources in these parts of the country. These changes
affected negatively the food production system in these parts of the country and resulted in
natural resources degradation, and poor productivity have resulted in the pastoral and agro- pastoral households’ food shortage and destitution.
The quest for sustainable food security in the ASAL parts of Ethiopia demands a holistic
explanation of food system as a whole, rather than a fragmented focus on isolated issues.
Scholars argue that food security extends beyond mere food availability to include conserving
natural resources, promoting ecosystem resilience, and supporting equitable access to
livelihood resources for vulnerable groups [8, 40, 29, 18]. They emphasize that the study of food
security must encompass the entire food system to understand the complex interplay of factors
driving food insecurity. This perspective indicates that achieving sustainability in food security
involves addressing social, economic, environmental well-being, in addition to the traditional
dimensions of food security.
From the premises, linear research models that focus solely on specific aspects of food security,
such as food availability and access, may not adequately capture the critical social, economic
and ecological dimensions of sustainability within the food system. Therefore, a more
systematic analysis that considers the overall food system is necessary to understand the
causes of vulnerability to food insecurity. This approach requires analyzing dynamics that
affects the social, economic and environmental sustainability to grasp how these factors
collectively influence sustainable food security. Such wider view will not only shed light on the
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multifaceted nature of food security but also illuminate the impact of policy changes, resource
allocation, and climate variation. Consequently, this broader perspective aims to yield deeper
insights into devising pragmatic strategies to achieve sustainable food security in the study
area.
Still there is a scarcity of comprehensive research for profound understanding of the
complexities surrounding sustainable food security in the ASAL parts of Ethiopia. The available
ones do not consider the dynamics towards sustainable food security in particularly in the
study districts. This study has, therefore, attempted to bridge the gap by exploring the
socioeconomic, and environmental dynamics that affected the ASAL parts’ food system that
influenced sustainable food security in the area. The purpose of the study was, therefore, to
assess the dynamics towards sustainable food security in Fantale and Boset Districts of Oromia
Regional State in Ethiopia.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Empirical sources show that food security in the ASAL parts of Ethiopia is influenced by
multiple factors, including climate change, government policies, socioeconomic and
environmental dynamics [47, 9]. Climate change significantly impacts food security, with
recurrent drought, leading to crop failures, livestock losses, water shortage, and spread of
human and livestock disease thereby exacerbating food insecurity. However, focusing solely on
climate fails to consider the crucial roles of socioeconomic and political contexts of famine and
vulnerability that causes food insecurity and famine [43].
Many studies argue that government policy interferences and the consequent socioeconomic
and environmental dynamics are the major factors affecting the food production system and
household food security in ASAL parts of Ethiopia. They claim that tenure insecurity remains a
major cause of environmental degradation and conflict over resources (24, 41]. Since the 1970s,
land use policy changes implemented in Ethiopia ASAL parts have disrupted traditional
pastoral and agro-pastoral food production systems by expropriating communal lands for mega
plantation projects and sedentary farming. This has restricted pastoral mobility, weakened
traditional resource management systems, and intensified conflict among the land users [4-5,
52]. The erosion of communal land rights has led to overgrazing, encroachment into fragile
ecosystems, and environmental degradation, reducing food production and increasing poverty
[19].
The current literature underscores the critical role of pastoral mobility in maintaining food
security and managing natural resources in Ethiopia’s ASAL regions. Despite the clear
advantages of this traditional practice, contemporary structural changes and developmental
policies have often overlooked or undermined its significance. The expansion of mega projects
and farmlands into communal territories has led to the erosion of communal grazing areas,
thereby restricting pastoral mobility. This has had severe consequences, including natural
resources degradation, which in turn exacerbate food insecurity and economic disparities in
these regions.
Studies on food security support pastoral and agro-pastoral communities’ mobility as an
effective adaptation strategy to cope with scarce water and pasture in the uncertain ASALs
environments [10, 48]. They argue that pastoral mobility is an effective strategy to cope with
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Mossissa, A. T., Mulongo, L. S., & Mining, P. (2024). Dynamics towards Sustainable Food Security in Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASAL) Parts of Oromia
Regional State in Ethiopia. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 11(6). 79-97.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.116.17037
the environmental uncertainties of ASAL regions. This traditional practice allows for efficient
use of scarce resources and maintains the food production system. Pastoralists’ mobility
exploits environmental variability, making it a resilient production system in the area However,
government policies promoting mega plantations and sedentary farming in ASAL parts of
Ethiopia have failed due to poor rainfall, poor irrigation schemes, and these strategies have not
improved food security and have often exacerbated environmental degradation [22, 52, 5].
Conflict, poor market infrastructure, and limited access to services further hinder food security
in ASAL parts of Ethiopia. Market inefficiencies and lack of infrastructure prevent pastoralists
from accessing fair prices and economic opportunities [34, 6]. Additionally, limited livelihood
diversification and non-farm opportunities contribute to persistent poverty and food insecurity
[52].
The ASAL regions of Ethiopia within the Oromia Regional State including Fantale and Boset
districts face similar challenges [38]. Despite government aid through programmes like
Productive Safety Net, many households remain increasingly vulnerable to poverty and food
insecurity.
Sustainable food security integrates environmental, social, and economic sustainability.
Scoones et al. [43] argue that sustainability should address multiple objectives including
poverty reduction, social justice and environmental care, thus empowering communities
particularly the vulnerable groups by enhancing equitable access to livelihood resources, local
institutions and markets. A food system is said to be sustainable if the activities of each actor or
support provider is profitable and socially sustainable when the food system outcome benefit
society well-being [21].
Social sustainability focuses on ensuring equitable access to nutritious food and enhancing
community resilience. Similarly, environmental sustainability in a food system is achieved
when practices do not harm of minimally affect the environment. Economically, sustainability
is maintained through viable food production, distribution, exchange systems, and efficient
resource utilization of farmers [29, 8, 39-40]. The sustainability of food system also hinges on
the practices of various actors, including farmers and service providers like cooperatives and
traders in farm products and inputs (FAO, 2014). Achieving food security in ASAL parts
requires addressing underlying environmental issues, social inequality and empowering the
marginalized groups of the population.
To achieve sustainable food security in ASAL parts, research should focus on developing
sustainable land management frameworks that harmonize pastoral mobility with national
development goals. Policy interventions should secure tenure rights, promote sustainable
grazing, and mitigate conflicts. It is essential to assess environmental dynamics, such as land
degradation and biodiversity loss, and address socioeconomic issues, including market access
and conflict. Interdisciplinary studies that incorporate environment, economics, and sociology
can provide a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing ASAL
regions communities. Such an integrated approach will help develop effective strategies for
achieving sustainable food security by balancing environmental conservation with
socioeconomic development.
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A sustainable food security framework for ASAL regions must balance environmental
conservation with socioeconomic development. By addressing the unique challenges of these
regions through integrated and context-specific strategies, it is possible to enhance the
resilience and well-being of ASAL areas pastoral and agro-pastoral communities.
METHODOLOGY
The study was conducted in Fantale and Boset districts located in eastern part of Oromia
Regional State in Ethiopia’s ASAL parts. Fantale district is located at 7°12’-9°14’N latitudes at
the distance of 190 km from Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. The district is bordered
to the northwest by Amhara Region, to the west by Boset district, to the south and west by Marti
District, and to the east by Hararghe zone [17]. The total population of Fantale district was
102,262 (53,710 male and 48,552 female) in 2020 with a total land area of 133,964.66 hectares
(East Shewa Zone Irrigation and Pastoral Development Office, unpublished manuscript).
Pastoralism and livestock production is the major economic activity in the district, although
irrigation and crop farming have been introduced recently [17].
Boset district is located at 8°39'59.99" north latitude and 39°29'59.99" east latitude on GPS, in
the northeastern part of Oromia regional state in Ethiopia at a distance of 125 kms from Addis
Ababa [23]. The district is bordered to the East by Fentale district, to the West by Adama
district, to the Northeast by Amhara Region (Minjar district), and to the South by Arsi Zone of
Oromia. Data obtained from Boset district Finance Office shows the district has 217,132 people
(118,676 male and 96,456 female) in 2016. Pastoralism, agro-pastoralism and crop farming are
the main livelihood systems in the district and major crops in the district include (in order of
importance) are maize, tomatoes, onions and teff [51].
The study employed convergent research design and mixed method approach. The target
population for this study was all the households consisting of 58,632 (19,426 households in
Fantale and 39,206 households in Boset) in main localities that comprises rural setup. The two
districts were selected purposively based on their geographical location in arid (Fantale) and
semi-arid (Boset) parts and the increasing socioeconomic and policy dynamics that have
aggravated food insecurity besides the problem caused by recurrent drought in the area and
the majority of the community in the districts depend on PSNP. Multi-stage sampling and
systematic random sampling technique was employed to select sample kebeles/sub-districts
and households for the study. Accordingly, the kebeles/sub-districts were clustered and eight
kebeles from Fantale (Dhakaa Eddu, Xuxuxii, Galcha, Ebiti, Ilalaa, Sarana, Weba and Gara Dima)
and 17 kebeles from Boset district (Sifa Bate, Kombe gugsa, Nura Hase, Marko Oda Laga,
Rukecha Bokore, Tadacha, Geri Nure Dera, Borochota, Buta Bedeso, Buta Donkore, Dongore
Chale, Dongore Furda, Hurufa, Dongore Xiyo, Golbo Bitimiti, Chamiri Jawis and Qawa Hara
Mirkesa) were selected for the study. The respondent households were selected systematically
using the table of random numbers procedure to ensure representativeness of sample [31-32].
The corresponding sample size using the formula in the study was 397 households. The sample
size for 58,632 households in the study was determined using Israel [30] criteria and
mathematical formula as shown below:
n =
N
(1 + N(e
2)
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Mossissa, A. T., Mulongo, L. S., & Mining, P. (2024). Dynamics towards Sustainable Food Security in Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASAL) Parts of Oromia
Regional State in Ethiopia. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 11(6). 79-97.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.116.17037
Where,
n = the sample size for the study
N = designates the total number of households in the districts which is = 19,426
(Fantale) + 39,206 (Boset) = 58,632 households
e = designates the margin error or maximum variability which is = 0.05
1 = the probability of a household being selected
The study employed four major instruments of data collection were involved: survey
questionnaire, Key informant interview guide, focus group discussion guide and researcher’s
observation. Using the above formula, 397 sample rural households were selected for the study
and a questionnaire was dispatched to all. Out of the 397 copies of the questionnaire
dispatched, 374 (94.2%) were filled in correctly and returned.
The study participants include 374 household heads for the survey questionnaire. 20
participants (2 elders, 6 farmers representatives, 4 youth representatives, 4 women’s
representatives, 2 district administrative offices representatives, 2 district agriculture offices
for focus group discussions and 11 participants (3 officials and 8 experts) from regional, zonal
and district agriculture and natural development office, pastoral development office and for
interview.
The collected quantitative data were put into SPSS and analyzed descriptively and inferentially.
They were analyzed using ordinal logistic regression model to assume the association between
the variables of the study. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze the qualitative data
collected through focus group discussion, open-ended questions and key informant interviews
(Kumar, 2011). The qualitative data were mainly used for triangulation purpose.
Utmost possible ethical considerations were maintained to ensure that the research is
conducted in an ethical manner maintaining consent, respect/moral principle, anonymity,
confidentiality, and procedural rigor. This was done among others, through coding the data
collection tools, responses, and anonymously maintaining the identities of individuals and
groups, and in making the codes exclusive, exhaustive, and consistent; in systematically
handling deviants and those who refused to participate as data sources without offending
and/or embarrassing them.
Utmost possible ethical rules have been considered to ensure that the research is conducted in
an ethical manner maintaining consent, respect/moral principle, anonymity, confidentiality,
and procedural rigor. This was done among others, through coding the data collection tools,
responses, and anonymously maintaining the identities of individuals and groups, and in
making the codes exclusive, exhaustive, and consistent; in systematically handling deviants and
those who refused to participate as data sources without offending and/or embarrassing them.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The objective of this study was to assess the dynamics towards sustainable food security in
Fantale and Boset Districts of Oromia Regional State in Ethiopia. The findings of the household
socioeconomic data revealed that majority of the respondents (57.8%) were agro pastoralists
followed by pastoralist (36.6%) as the major livelihood basis in these ASAL parts in spite of
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land policy change and decades of effort to replace these livelihood systems with sedentary
crop farming, which remained practiced by insignificant number (5.6%).
On the other hand, it was noted that the average number of households owning greater than
1.75 hectares declined from 58% to 52% between 2004/5 and 2020/21 in Boset district which
could impact agricultural productivity and food security. In Fantale district only 4% of
households owned above 1.75 hectares in 2020/21. This highlights a critical issue in land
distribution, which could further exacerbate food security challenges.
Additionally, the average communal land area accessible to households in the study area
declined from 4048.5 hectares to 1947.7 hectares during the same period. The decline in
communal land availability suggests increased pressure on limited resources, particularly
leading to overuse and degradation of these lands. Evidence from a recent study by Adugna et
al. [2] reported a significant reduction in pastoral grazing land size in Fantale district, from
150,000 hectares to just 40,000 hectares. This reduction in grazing land further constrains
livestock production, a crucial component of livelihoods in these areas.
Concurrently, the average number of livestock owned by households showed a declining trend
for cattle from 14.2 to 9.6, sheep from 13.3 to 9.5, and goats from 20.4 to 16.6. Although the
number of camels remained relatively stable, they exhibited slight fluctuations. This decline in
livestock numbers may reflect the combined effects of reduced land availability, environmental
stressors and possibly economic pressures. In general, the decreasing land ownership and
livestock numbers underscore the urgent need for strategies that enhance land management
and support sustainable agricultural practices. Addressing these issues is vital to improving
food security and ensuring sustainable livelihoods for households in Boset and Fantale Districts
Ordinal logistic regression model was used to establish the dynamics that drive sustainable
food security in the study area, using ten environmental and eleven institutional variables. The
regression analysis result for the environmental independent variables showed that soil
fertility decline (P-value=0.000), land degradation (P-value=0.031), biodiversity loss on
privately owned land (P-value=0.001), water shortage (P-value=0.027) and spreading human
disease such as HIV/AIDs, COVID-19 (P-value=0.000) have significant influence on household
food production at p-value < 0.05 as can be seen in Table below.
Table 1: Ordinal Logistic Regression Model Output for Environmental Variables
Variables Value Std. Error t value p value
1. Rainfall 0.114508025 0.09042095 1.26638820 0.205
2. Temperature 0.153835251 0.09202863 1.67160214 0.095
3. Soil fertility decline -0.403924519 0.09869970 -4.09245948 0.000
4. Land degradation -0.167581435 0.07783373 -2.15306951 0.031
5. Biodiversity loss on private land -0.324554381 0.09361296 -3.46698133 0.001
6. Biodiversity loss on communal land -0.009379214 0.09420222 -0.09956468 0.921
7. Water shortage -0.194006236 0.08760975 -2.21443648 0.027
8. Livestock disease -0.172500446 0.10100805 -1.70778903 0.088
9. Natural disaster -0.133202508 0.09963221 -1.33694219 0.181
10. Human disease -0.432515713 0.11180489 -3.86848668 0.000
Intercepts: Value Std. Error t value
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Mossissa, A. T., Mulongo, L. S., & Mining, P. (2024). Dynamics towards Sustainable Food Security in Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASAL) Parts of Oromia
Regional State in Ethiopia. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 11(6). 79-97.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.116.17037
High damage|Low Damage -5.6767 0.7424 -7.6461
Low Damage|Not at all -4.5515 0.7153 -6.3629
Not at all|Very high damage 2.0381 1.2055 1.6907
Residual Deviance: 661.6448
AIC: 687.6448
In their response to open-ended questions, the respondents also indicated that the introduction
of sedentary farming system into the ASAL parts limited mobility and keeping livestock on
small private farm lands caused overgrazing and biodiversity loss. They also mentioned that
they use mountain areas and forest for livestock grazing due to diminished communal grazing
land parts, which caused land degradation and biodiversity loss. In a similar manner, a Key
informant also identified land degradation as the major challenge to food production in the
study area. The informant claimed that expansion of dry land farming restricted pastoral
mobility to access livestock food that resulted in overgrazing. The informant mentioned that
large areas of the pastoral wetland on which they used to depend during dry season grazing
had been expropriated by the ever-expanding projects such as Wanji sugar factory, Awash
National Park, and other various privately-owned projects.
This study findings confirm the significant negative impact of land degradation, soil erosion and
water shortage on household food provision in the study districts. The association suggests that
as land degradation, soil erosion and water shortage intensify, the capacity of the land to
support local food production activities diminishes. This supports the hypothesis that
environmental degradation directly threatens food security by reducing the land's productivity
and the availability. Sedentary farming, while potentially increasing food production in the
short term, often leads to intensive land use without adequate sustainable practices,
exacerbating soil degradation. This is particularly problematic in ASAL regions, where the
natural recovery rate of the ecosystem is slower due to lower rainfall and harsher climatic
conditions. Furthermore, expropriation of communal grazing areas and limited access to water
sources due to land-use policy changes also contribute to overgrazing in the areas that remain
accessible. Overgrazing is a well-documented cause of soil erosion, as it leads to the removal of
vegetation cover and the destabilization of the soil surface, making it more susceptible to
erosion by wind and water. Multiple studies have emphasized that policy changes and shifts
towards sedentary farming practices contribute significantly to these environmental
challenges.
Some attribute natural resources decline and land degradation and soil erosion that led to food
insecurity in Ethiopia and other African countries to the production practices of farmers [28, 3,
36]. However, those in the political ecologists claim it as an outcome of interacting multi- disciplinary issues such as inappropriate development policies [33, 44, 2, 49, 4, 12,52]. This
group of researchers claim that farmers and pastoralists were aware of natural resource
management importance and evidences show they have been utilizing various soil fertility
conservation and land management techniques even before soil conservation sciences have
developed. They claim that government land use policy changes and the expansion of crop
farming and plantation projects that restricted pastoralist’s mobility caused shortage of
livestock food in the ASAL parts of Ethiopia resulted in many externalities such as land
degradation, soil erosion, biodiversity decline and food insecurity [52, 49, 43].
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Mossissa, A. T., Mulongo, L. S., & Mining, P. (2024). Dynamics towards Sustainable Food Security in Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASAL) Parts of Oromia
Regional State in Ethiopia. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 11(6). 79-97.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.116.17037
supporting and enhancing the indigenous adaptive strategies that have evolved in these
communities to sustain agricultural productivity in the face of various challenges.
Model Outputs for Institutional Factors of Sustainable Household Food Security
The regression analysis for institutional variables also showed that restricted pastoral
mobility (P-value=0.000), market facilities and infrastructure problems (P-value=0.022), and
conflict (P-value=0.000) have significant correlation with household food production activities
at P-value 0.05 as showed in Table 2 below.
Table 2: Ordinal Logistic Regression Model Outputs for Socioeconomic Variables
Institutional Variables Value Std. Error t value p value
1. Urbanization -0.0619821527 0.11402155 -0.54360036 0.587
2. Restricted mobility -0.3440307588 0.08638401 -3.98257433 0.000
3. Lack of access to credit -0.1685394661 0.09557972 -1.76333913 0.078
4. Trade restrictions 0.1096446855 0.09977714 1.09889584 0.272
5. Livestock price fluctuation -0.1248275999 0.09449606 -1.32098203 0.187
6. Food price volatility -0.0881030267 0.09819671 -0.89720958 0.370
7. Market facilities problem -0.2213803871 0.09673896 -2.28843046 0.022
8. Inadequate extension service -0.1353051906 0.09544922 -1.41756197 0.156
9. Lack of technology use -0.1144897358 0.09075538 -1.26152003 0.207
10. Cooperative involvement in market 0.0273008222 0.10542143 0.25896842 0.796
11. Conflict theft and robbery -0.5571107100 0.09177863 -6.07015726 0.000
Intercepts: Value Std. Error t value
High damage|Low Damage -5.8023 0.7952 -7.2966
Low Damage|Not at all -4.8484 0.7664 -6.3260
Not at all|Very high damage -0.1559 0.8500 -0.1834
Residual Deviance: 676.9011
AIC: 710.9011
These findings are supported by focus group discussions, key informants as well as various
studies, which emphasize the profound impact these factors have on agricultural output and
food security. Restricted pastoral mobility significantly affects the traditional way of food
production and economic stability of pastoral communities, limiting their ability to access
grazing areas and water resources, which in turn reduces livestock productivity and availability
of livestock products for food and income. The restriction on movement often stems from land
use policies, environmental degradation, and privatization of communal lands, which disrupts
traditional routes to access essential resources.
In their response to the open-ended questions, respondents indicated that restricted mobility
resulted in livestock asset loss and poor pastoral productivity. The respondents said they were
exposed to long distance mobility as far as Ziway in south Shewa, Shashemene in Arsi Zone and
Waliso in south west Shewa zone in search of livestock food. Many of them indicated that this
situation had affected their food security several ways, such as pastoral families’ failure to
access food and income from livestock products when the livestock move to distant place for
longer months, exposure to insecurity and conflicts over resources with farmers and bordering
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Mossissa, A. T., Mulongo, L. S., & Mining, P. (2024). Dynamics towards Sustainable Food Security in Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASAL) Parts of Oromia
Regional State in Ethiopia. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 11(6). 79-97.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.116.17037
extension services, lack of technology use, and cooperatives do not show significant
associations with household food production in arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL). This lack of
association could indicate several underlying dynamics specific to the ASAL regions studied.
Firstly, the non-significant relationship between these socioeconomic factors and food
production might suggest that other overriding environmental or personal factors, such as
those previously discussed (e.g., soil erosion, disease), play a more critical role in determining
food production outcomes in these areas. It could also imply that traditional coping strategies
and resilience among ASAL communities effectively mitigate the potential negative impacts of
these socioeconomic challenges. For instance, the absence of a significant effect from
urbanization could reflect a scenario where agricultural practices have either adapted to or are
not yet severely impacted by these factors. Similarly, the non-association of access to credit,
trade restrictions, and market fluctuations might indicate that local food production is
somewhat insulated from global market dynamics and more influenced by subsistence needs
and local exchange systems.
The lack of impact from inadequate extension services and technology use may highlight a gap
in the adoption or effectiveness of these services and technologies within ASAL communities,
possibly due to cultural preferences, lack of infrastructure, or the relevance of provided
technologies and information. This suggests a need for more customized and accessible
agricultural support services that align more closely with the needs and circumstances of these
communities. Overall, these findings suggest further investigation into the specific
characteristics of ASAL regions that may buffer or negate the impacts of these socioeconomic
factors on food production. It also calls for a reassessment of agricultural and economic support
structures to better align with the realities on the ground in these communities. Tailoring
interventions to enhance their effectiveness and ensuring they are contextually appropriate
could support sustainable food production and overall development in ASAL regions.
In general, the regression model reveals that socioeconomic factors, environmental
degradation, health issues, and institutional factors significantly impact household food
production in arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL). Soil erosion and land degradation directly
diminish agricultural land productivity, while human diseases reduce the labor force and divert
essential resources away from agricultural investment. Furthermore, institutional challenges
including limited pastoral mobility restrict access to necessary resources, poor market facilities
inhibit economic transactions, and conflicts disrupt agricultural activities and community
stability. Addressing these interconnected issues requires holistic policies that integrate
sustainable land management, healthcare improvement, and socio-economic development to
enhance both food security and the resilience of ASAL regions.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
It can therefore, be concluded that political-ecological factors undermining local communities'
access to livelihood resources and the specific location context have caused dynamics such as
restricted access to land resources, livelihood loss and market related problems negatively
affected all the food production system activities of people in the study area. People’s
unsustainable livelihood strategies led to multiple problems such as land degradation, soil
fertility decline, biodiversity loss, water scarcity, and conflict over access to resources, which
in turn negatively affected their food production causing poverty and food insecurity. In the
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same vein, the farmers in the study area had poor market integration, resulting in a decline in
farmers’ incomes.
The following recommendations are forwarded based on the findings of the study and
conclusions derived:
1. The Government of Ethiopia in collaboration in consultation with local people, need to
revise existing policies to reinforce equitable opportunities for local communities to
access livelihood resources, resolve conflicts, sustain the ecology, and enhance
sustainable food security through developing inclusive policies.
2. The Oromia Agriculture and Natural Resources Bureau need to improve the market
situation by making markets accessible and reshaping the role of cooperatives in market
to value adding activities.
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