An Assessment of Rural Households Livelihood Assets of Wolaita Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess existing rural household’s livelihood assets in Wolaita zone, Ethiopia. The demographic and socio-economic data were collected from 300 randomly selected rural households. The basic data for the study were obtained from both primary and secondary sources. The collected data were analysed by using both qualitative and quantitative methods. The study revealed land is one of the basic economic assets of and livelihood sources for agrarian rural people but the size of the plots is so small in the study area. The findings concerning the livelihood assets that had been developed were presented in line with the three livelihood assets, namely human, natural, and financial capital, all of which were shown to have negative results. The above-mentioned livelihood assets in the study area were weak. From the human assets section, 41percent of the study population had not achieved a school educational qualification. About half percent of respondents said their soil was not fertile from the physical assets perspective. A large number of respondents did not practise saving on account of their low daily-income status. Thus concerning body including government should strongly work on the discussed rural assets built up to minimize the rural household’s livelihood problems in study area.

Keywords: Wolaita, rural, assets, human, natural, financial, households, livelihood

DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/10-5-01

Publication date:March 31^st 2020