Contribution of Enset based farming system in livelihoods and food security in central Ethiopia

Although Enset-based farming system is acknowledged for playing a crucial role in central Ethiopia’s ecological resilience and food security, empirical evidence quantifying its livelihood benefits remains limited. The study was aimed to evaluate how Enset-based farming system in Central Ethiopia impact household income and food security. 400 household farmers selected based on the multistage sampling techniques. The food consumption score (FCS) primary data collection took place from February 1st to February 28th, 2024. To minimize recall error, household diets were captured via a rigorous 7-day recall. The collected data were analyzed using Excel and SPSS version 27. Results showed that sex, fertilizer use, training variables were significant associations with Enset based farming system, while age, family size, farm size, tropical livestock units, extension contact, and cash revenue variables highly significant mean differences (p < 0.01). Crops, fruits, vegetables, trees, livestock, and off-farm pursuits were the main sources of income. Crucially, the Enset-dominated farming system produced a lower mean annual income (ETB 2,272.31/hh), while the Enset-Coffee-Fruit based farming system revealed a higher mean annual income (ETB 7,472.72/hh). The Enset-Coffee-Fruit system had higher access to food security (54.7%) than the Enset-Coffee-based farming system (43.4%), according to the Food Consumption Scores (FCS), which was calculated using weighted group frequencies. However, majority of households in the region’s Enset-based farming systems fell into the FCS categories that were from borderline to acceptable. This study provides vital empirical evidence that strategic diversification, particularly combination of fruit and coffee, greatly enhances livelihood income and food security in Enset-based farming systems.