Abstract
There is a high expectation that urban-rural linkage in general and the function of small towns, in particular, has a great role in livelihood diversification and poverty reduction in rural areas than sectoral development. However, the previous empirical studies give little attention to the function of small towns and the livelihood diversification of rural communities. We analyze the function of a small town and participating in non-farm economic activities from a rural farm household survey of 371 farmer household heads in Ethiopia. The data was analyzed using a logistic regression model and statistical description. The study found that rural households who have road access have likely participated in none-farm activities and it has positive and significant effects. Education and FHH has also a significant relationship with the function of a small town. Distance from the small town has a significant and positive impact on the non-farm economic activities of rural communities. Overall, benefits from the function of small towns such as the provision of road access, agricultural extension, financial credit services, administrative services, educational and health services are some of the provisions of a small town. Therefore, a comprehensive integrated urban-rural linkage strategy could empower rural farm smallholders to diversify their livelihoods through strengthening small town functions is mandatory. The role of small towns needs to be integrated into rural communities. Participate in livelihood diversification strategies and achieve sustainable development goals by 2030 at large.
Highlights
Most of the developing countries especially the middle and low-income countries' economic activities are relying upon the agricultural sector to reduce poverty and bring about overall development
The overall result indicated that road access and education access, are the ways of increasing livelihood diversification of farm households out of their farm, this demonstrated household heads who have road access and education access are the key contributors of livelihood diversification
The role of a small town such as road access was positively and significantly correlated with livelihood diversification that enables, the household heads who have road access can involve in non-farm activities than their counterparts
Summary
Most of the developing countries especially the middle and low-income countries' economic activities are relying upon the agricultural sector to reduce poverty and bring about overall development. The previous literature overlooking the function of a small town in participation of non-farm activities of the surrounding community could have a great role on farmers’ livelihood diversification and reducing poverty via small town-rural linkage. The growth pole theory is linked with economic, social, and administrative issues Assumed that such types of linkage help to rise involvement in non-farm economic activities for the rural household heads via strong linkage with the small-town dwellers. Conflict, degrading environment, lack of infrastructure, or remoteness (Ahmed et al 1970; Dercon and Gilligan 2008), endowments and shocks (Baulch and Hoddinott 2000; Dercon and Krishnan 1997), and poorly understood the rural non-farm sector and weak rural-urban linkage (Haggblade et al 2002; Meikle 2014) are all factors Given these obstacles, one way of reducing poverty is by bringing rural development. Discussion, and section five conclusions and areas for future research
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
