Antecedents of Savings Behaviour Among Rural Households: A Holistic Approach

Abstract

The main purpose of this research is to empirically examine the antecedents of household savings behaviour in the Metekele, Beneshangu Guzu state of Ethiopia. In this study, three broader factors (household characteristics, socio-economic variables and institutional variables) influencing savings decisions of households have been identified and examined. This study followed mixed method research design with questionnaire and in-depth interviews as the main instruments. Binary logistic regression has been mainly utilized to analyse the quantitative data. The findings revealed age, educational level, family size, number of livestock unit, income, irrigation utilization, production season, participation in non-farm activities, use of credit, training and education significantly impact savings behaviour. However, sex, religion, marital status, land ownership and expenditure were found insignificant contributors to the model. The government and concerned parties should support more for the decision to save by facilitating and undertaking training on saving options, conducting regular review and monitoring to develop a clear policy on the importance of savings specifically for households on habit of regular savings.