Factors Determining Households’ Decision to Practice Homegarden Agroforestry in Burie District, Northwestern Ethiopia

Homegarden agroforestry is one of the oldest farming practices in Ethiopia and the tropics, and is regarded as an economically sound and environmentally sustainable land use system. Despite a presumed high potential to improve the livelihoods of billions and maintain ecological stability, its adoption and implementation by farmers remain limited. Hence, this study was conducted to analyze the factors that influence households’ decisions to practice homegarden agroforestry in the Burie District in Northwestern Ethiopia. A multistage sampling technique was employed to select the study area, kebeles (the smallest administrative units), and sample households. Data were collected from a household survey, group discussions, and key informant interviews. Analysis of the binary logistic regression model revealed that six of 11 independent variables tested were found to significantly influence households’ decision to practice homegarden agroforestry. Of these factors, family size, farm size, educational status, and annual income had positively and significantly influenced households’ decisions, while the number of livestock and distance from the market had negatively and significantly influenced them. It is concluded that more than half of the socioeconomic factors considered in the analysis were significantly correlated with the likelihood of practicing homegarden agroforestry. This study also underscores the need to tailor interventions to address the factors that influence the adoption and implementation of the practice, focusing on improving livestock management and access to the market and infrastructure.