ASSESSMENT OF POVERITY OF RURAL HOUSEHOLDS IN BONA ZURIA WOREDA, SIDAMA REGION, ETHIOPIA

Abstract The objective of this study was to examine the effects of poverty on rural household poverty and access poverty of rural households of Bona Zuria Woreda in Sidama Region, Ethiopia. In order to achieve these objectives, a descriptive survey type of research design has been used. Multi -stage sampling technique was used. In the first stage purposive sampling technique was used to select Bona Zuria Woreda due to greater number of people being highly vulnerable to poverty. In the second step simple random sampling technique was used to select three sampled kebeles, from 27 rural kebeles to represent the whole woreda. In the third step systematic sampling methods was used to select the respondents for the survey. Thus, 172 samples were selected from total of 1408 population from the respective list of farmers who practiced maize, haricot bean, sweat potatoes, teff and enset production under rain fed and animal production on their land was considered to ask about their perception about poverty. As the data shown, farm land size of HHs was 0.26-0.5 hectares which could be one of the factors for poor production. Similarly, shortage of land and land degradation (infertility) were another causes of poverty. Literacy, status of household head, family size, size of cultivated land in hectare, technological adoption, less farm income, weak participation on off-farm activities, access to credit services, and participation in extension packages are among determinant factors contributing for poverty. Alternative coping mechanisms haven’t fully implemented in the area of the study. Farmers could not use modern type of irrigation system in order to enhance their production capacity. Also, farmers must learn irrigation scheme. Irrigation is best method in order to solve poverty and produce different types of crops without depending on rainy season only. In the study area, few people use traditional way of irrigation. Woreda Agricultural office with other stakeholders should supply modern irrigation tools to the HHs and should prepare necessary trainings to overcome poverty. Unemployment can readily turn in to a major threat to local social, economic, and political issues. It is increasing time to time whereas poverty is the most serious causes and consequence of mass unemployment. Therefore, Sidama region government should expand the employment opportunity on income source diversification option for the smallholder farmers to reduce the negative impacts of poverty.