Relationship between Prosopis juliflora invasion and livelihood diversification in the South Afar region, Northeast Ethiopia

doi:10.1016/j.regsus.2020.09.002

Abstract

Abstract:

This study assessed the effects of Prosopis juliflora invasion on livelihood diversification and evaluated the determinants of livelihood diversification in Awash Fentale District and Amibara District in the South Afar region of Northeast Ethiopia in 2017-2018. Using random sampling method, 154 households and 2 focus groups composed of 10 individuals were selected from four sites in the two districts. The relationship between P. juliflora invasion and incomes obtained from P. juliflora varied across the study sites. In Awash Fentale District and Amibara District, 11.0% and 3.2% of households, respectively, earned income from P. juliflora charcoal production. In total, 14.3% of households were involved in this activity. In addition, 19.9% of households earned income from selling P. juliflora pods and wood materials. With the exception of income from P. juliflora charcoal production, the sex of households did not affect incomes from other livelihood activities. Moreover, household educational attainment significantly affected income obtained from vegetables, fruits, and cereal crops. Reversing the severe invasion of P. juliflora and other negative impacts on grazing and woodlands in the region is advisable through integrated natural resources, pastoralist participation, and multidisciplinary research strategies.

Key words: Determinant factors, Livelihood diversification, Household incomes, Prosopis juliflora invasion, Simpson’s diversification index (SDI)

Wakshum Shiferaw, Sebsebe Demissew, Tamrat Bekele, Ermias Aynekulu. Relationship between Prosopis juliflora invasion and livelihood diversification in the South Afar region, Northeast Ethiopia[J]. Regional Sustainability, 2020, 1(1): 82-92.

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Appendix B

References 27

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Livestock	Number before P. juliflora invasion	Number after P. juliflora invasion	Difference between before and after P. juliflora invasion	Percentage (%)
Cattle	362	158	204	56.2
Sheep	377	282	95	25.2
Goats	412	332	80	19.4
Camels	214	110	104	48.6

Number of livelihood activities	Frequency	Percentage (%)
6	1	0.6
7	14	9.1
8	23	14.9
9	14	9.1
10	1	0.6
12	1	0.6
13	2	1.3
14	57	37.0
15	40	26.0
16	1	0.6
Total	154	100.0

Income option	Awash Fentale District		Amibara District
Income option	Mean	SE	Mean	SE
Cattle (number)	8.88	1.47	5.11	0.70
Sheep (number)	11.45	1.21	11.55	1.33
Goats (number)	15.20	1.84	16.51	1.25
Camels (number)	4.98	1.00	3.16	0.57
Donkeys (number)	0.10	0.08	0.06	0.03
Milk (L)	160.60	1.50	138.80	0.75
Cereal crops (t)	1.25	0.26	0.00	0.00
Vegetables (t)	3.03	0.81	0.26	0.10
Fruits (t)	1.96	0.73	0.03	0.02
Wood products from P. juliflora (stack)	0.10	0.04	0.09	0.06
Charcoal from P. juliflora (t)	4.26	0.99	0.19	0.09
Fuel wood from P. juliflora (stack)	0.08	0.04	0.01	0.01
Construction wood from P. juliflora (stack)	0.08	0.05	0.30	0.20
Pod from P. juiflora (t)	0.09	0.09	0.16	0.06
Daily labor (d yr^-1)	4.24	0.95	5.00	0.68
Wood products from native woody species (stack)	4.80	0.05	5.04	0.04
Charcoal from native woody species (t)	0.06	0.06	0.20	0.19

Income option	Mi (USD yr^-1)	Share (%)	SDI	SDI range	LoD
Milk	218.46	11.10	0.99	> 0.75	Very high
Cattle	624.82	31.60	0.90	> 0.75	Very high
Vegetables	514.79	26.10	0.93	> 0.75	Very high
Fruits	115.51	5.90	1.00	> 0.75	Very high
Cereal crops	121.56	6.20	1.00	> 0.75	Very high
Wood products from P. juliflora	21.66	1.10	1.00	> 0.75	Very high
Charcoal from P. juliflora	174.29	8.80	0.99	> 0.75	Very high
Fuel wood from P. juliflora	0.00	0.00	1.00	> 0.75	Very high
Construction wood from P. juliflora	0.00	0.00	1.00	> 0.75	Very high
Pod/seed from P. juliflora	36.97	1.90	1.00	> 0.75	Very high
Petty trade	126.12	6.40	1.00	> 0.75	Very high
Daily labor	1.59	0.10	1.00	> 0.75	Very high
Wood products from native species	6.18	0.30	1.00	> 0.75	Very high
Charcoal from native species	8.73	0.40	1.00	> 0.75	Very high
Total	1970.68	100.00	0.80	> 0.75	Very high

Sold item	Awash Fentale District					Amibara District
Sold item	Mean (USD yr^-1)	SE (USD yr^-1)	Lower (USD yr^-1)	Upper (USD yr^-1)	Share (%)	Mean (USD yr^-1)	SE (USD yr^-1)	Lower (USD yr^-1)	Upper (USD yr^-1)	Share (%)
Milk	110.91	42.40	41.22	212.81	14.40	185.48	34.02	123.39	257.88	9.40
Cattle	154.56	57.25	58.00	281.62	20.00	94.47	13.07	70.93	121.49	3.60
Vegetables	235.30	68.36	123.26	380.16	30.50	7.30	2.71	2.72	13.02	0.70
Fruits	63.99	21.99	26.60	111.88	8.30	0.44	0.44	0.00	1.45	0.10
Cereal crops	46.02	31.07	7.86	116.86	6.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00
Wood products from P. juliflora	1.11	1.08	0.00	3.70	0.10	0.52	0.39	0.00	1.44	0.10
Charcoal from P. juliflora	74.53	16.94	41.43	109.00	9.70	2.78	2.80	0.00	9.29	0.80
Petty trade	14.83	10.09	0.00	38.76	1.90	2.59	2.14	0.00	7.49	0.60
Daily labor	68.67	16.01	37.65	100.32	8.90	69.05	10.58	49.16	90.83	2.90
Wood products from native species	1.78	1.75	0.00	5.81	0.20	0.44	0.45	0.00	1.49	0.10
Total	771.71					363.08