THE IMPACT OF CATTLE FATTENING ON HOUSEHOLD INCOME: IN THE CASE OF KEDIDA GAMELA WOREDA, KEMBATA ZONE, CENTRAL ETHIOPIA REGION, ETHIOPIA.

Abstract<br> At the household level, livestock plays a critical economic and social role for smallholder farm households in Ethiopia especially in the study area. The government is working on cattle fattening development giving special emphasis to research activities on fattening at different scales. This study was conducted to identify factors that determine household’s participation in cattle fattening and its impact on household income in the Kedida Gamela woreda using cross-sectional data obtained from 305 sample farmers selected from three kebeles. In this study, multistage sampling technique was used to select sample respondents. The primary data was collected by using semi structured questionnaire. Various documents were reviewed to collect the secondary data. Binary logit model was employed to identify the determinants of participation in cattle fattening. Binary logit model regression results indicated that sex, education level of household head, breed type, veterinary clinic and access to extension services significantly determine participation cattle fattening. The Propensity Score Matching model result also revealed that the fattening participation had a significant effect on household income. The average treatment effect on the treated (ATT) was 3524.6554 birr in given year increase in annual income of treated households as compared to untreated ones. Moreover, different constraints related with feed shortage and price increment. To solve the problems and improve cattle fattening participation, the government, especially livestock development office of the woreda should attempt to hamper factors that hinder participation in cattle fattening and enhance factors that initiate participation in cattle fattening identified in the study area.