Male-headed Households Research Articles

Financial inclusion and nutrition among rural households in Rwanda

Abstract Using Rwandan Integrated Household Living Conditions surveys (2013/2014 and 2016/17), we investigate whether financial inclusion leads to improved nutrition in rural Rwanda. Our empirical evidence shows a robust positive impact of financial inclusion by formal financial institutions, although informal institutions like tontines were ineffective in improving food expenditure or nutrition. Furthermore, the heterogeneous marginal effects of financial inclusion reduce the gender gap between the food expenditure and nutrition of female- and male-headed households. The results, hence, suggest that the country should promote formal financial inclusion to provide wide-ranging welfare effects by improving food security, nutrition and food expenditure in its rural communities.

Does Women’s Empowerment Matter for Household Food Security? Evidence From Northern Ghana

The study seeks to analyze the effect of women’s empowerment on household food security in northern Ghana. Employing Random Effect and Generalized Estimating Equations on the two rounds of Feed the Future dataset, 2012 and 2015, the study measured women empowerment as the comparative years of schooling and decision making by women. Multivariate Decomposition was used to explain whether variations in food insecurity between gendered household types are due to differences in explained and/or unexplained variations. The study showed significant differences in food insecurity levels between male and female headed households. The finding revealed that improving women decision making at the household level will reduce food insecurity by 45%. The study therefore recommends that Ministry of Gender, Children and Social protection should educate male partners on the need for women’s decision making and also ensure the establishment of social groups for women.

Agricultural value chain and households' livelihood in Africa: The case of Nigeria

One of the critical issues of concern is how African countries can take agriculture as a business that creates wealth which can help transform rural communities, increase income, reduce poverty and help the continent achieve the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs) of no poverty (SDG-1) and food and nutrition security (SDG-2) by 2030. Hence, this study examines how participation in agriculture through cassava value chain can improve households' livelihood income in Africa using the case of Nigeria. To achieve its objective, the study utilised quantitative analysis approach to address the linkages among economic agents within the agricultural value chain. The logit regression and propensity scores matching technique are used for the quantitative analysis. The result show that, while more significant proportion of male cassava production household heads sell cassava in its fresh form, their female counterparts add value by processing cassava further into finished staple foods. Another key insight is the high involvement of youth and women in cassava production, processing and marketing. Thus, they have greater influence in promoting and improving households’ livelihood income. Therefore, more targeted efforts should be made by all stakeholders to ensure that youth and women have better, less expensive and dependable assess to facilities at lower interest rates to participate in agricultural value chain. This will engender inclusiveness of the vulnerable groups in agricultural value chain.

Pathways and policy options for food and nutrition gaps in arid agricultural farming systems in the Tigray Region, north Ethiopia

Food and nutrition security is a major global challenge especially indeveloping countries.Agriculture is main means of livelihoods and hunger is drastically increasing from time to time especially due to effects of climate change, conflict and other manmade and natural calamities in these countries. Similarly, the Tigray Region is one of the Ethiopia's most food and nutrition insecure regions with agriculture serving as the main source of income and employment. This study was therefore conducted to fill the gap in understanding the socioeconomic situation, bio-physical environment, institutional setting and policy landscape by analysing the existing circumstances in Tigray Region. This research employed quantitative data sets collected from 300 randomely selected Productive Saftey Net Program (PSNP) beneficiarieries and Non-PSNP households using probability proportional to size. The Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) used as a proxy measure to nutrition security as our data is 24 h recall and food gap months as proxy to food security. Besides, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) method is used to construct household asset index. The results of the study revealed that there are clear and significant differences of the PSNP and Non-PSNP households, and gender in land holding (p<0.01%), asset ownership(p<0.01%), food gap months(p<0.01%), dietary diversity(p<0.01%), exposure to hazards and risks, copping strategies, yield, access to agricultural extension services, access to improved varieties (varietal diversification). The male headed households, and Non-PSNP households are better off than the female headed and PSNP households' counterparts. Thus, provision of practical training, conducting farmer's participatory research, field days, promoting and creating access to farmers' preferred high yielding improved varieties and management practices available in the research and extension consortium, support in research and development that develops and disseminate appropriate technologies to help farmers to lower their food gap months is highly important. In addition, sustainable intensification, off-farm employment alternatives, and engaging in agribusiness activities that create resilient livelihood options to those resource poor farm households, strengthening the formal and informal seed system would help to reduce food gap months, improve HDDS, build resilience of the food and nutrition insecure households. Therefore, customized extension services and packages are important for addressing the food and nutrition security gaps by setting goal, outcome and output indicators for future interventions in the research and development arena in filling food gap months, dietary diversity and household asset building through collaboration among relevant stakeholders in the food system.

Are Effects of COVID-19 Understated? Gender-Based Implications on Income, Coping Strategies and Time Allocation in Ethiopia

This study investigates impacts of COVID-19 on household income, coping strategies, and time allocation challenges using gender-differentiated approach. Data from two rounds of phone surveys conducted in Ethiopia were used. The findings reveal significant impacts of COVID-19 and its containment measures on the income of both male-headed (50 percent) and female-headed households (44 percent). In response to income decline, majority of male (70 percent) and female (64 percent) respondents resorted to saving as a coping strategy. This outcome underscores the prevalent gender disparity in financial inclusion within Ethiopia. A comparative analysis of time allocation for reproductive and domestic activities before and during the pandemic indicates that women allocated more hours than men to these tasks. It is, therefore, crucial to acknowledge and assign value to women's contributions, given their predominant role in reproductive and domestic activities. These activities are essential components of daily life within households and contribute significantly to the overall economy.

한국의 소비불평등 요인분해에 관한 연구

Purpose: This study examines the determinants of household consumption expenditure and quantifies their contribution to within group inequality by gender of household head in South Korea.&#x0D; Research design, data, and methodology: This study first decomposes total inequality into within and between inequality by gender of household head. It also examines the association between a vector of household demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and household consumption expenditure in an attempt to identify how much inequality can be attributed to each of explanatory factors. This study empirically draws upon the recent national representative dataset, Survey of Household Finance and Living Conditions (SFLC) 2 021 c ollected b y Korea Statistical Office.&#x0D; Results: According to the present study, inequality in 2021 in South Korea was found to be mainly dominated by inequality within population sub groups. Examining the determinants of household consumption inequality, it shows that factors and their conributions are different between male and female headed households. For instance, whilst the type of job occupation of a head appears to have a large impact on inequality within male headed households, it is found to have marginal contribution compared to within female headed households (25.2% vs. 7.4%). In case of household demography, it is observed as the second largest factor increasing within inequality among female headed households (31.2%) whereas its contribution to inequality within inequality among male group was relatively small (18.6%).&#x0D; Implications: Our study suggests that target specific investigation and deep structural understanding need to be made on the different characteristics of within inequality as reflected by the different role of factors and their contributions. Amongst, the different inequality impact of higher education might reflect that the expansion of higher education had a relatively lower impact on the living stand of female group than that of its counterpart, male group. Finally, the discriminatory barriers (e.g. job occupation) against female may reduce within inequality, it could widen total inequality, worsening distribution between male and female groups.

A Gendered Perspective on Household Dietary Diversity Status in Mbinga District, Tanzania

Introduction: This study examines household dietary diversity in Mbinga District, Tanzania, focusing on under-fives, examining sources of household food, gender relations, and differences in dietary scores among female-headed and male-headed households.&#x0D; Methodology: The study adopted a cross sectional research design where by a total of 150 heads of households whose children aged 0 - 59 months were assessed. A structured questionnaire and interview checklist were administered to collect data from heads of the households and key informants respectively. Data were coded and analysed by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) programme and STATA. An Independent two-sample t-test was used to differentiate the sources of household food and status of dietary diversity between the female-headed and male-headed households.&#x0D; Results: Out of 150 households, 74% secure food from farm harvests, 26% rely on purchase, and starchy staple foods are the most consumed, while poultry, milk, dairy, and flesh foods are least consumed. Cereals, roots, and tubers were the most common staple foods in the studied community, and they had the highest score of 98.7%, whereas poultry products scored 3.3%. The independent sample t-test revealed that, there was a significant difference in the consumption score of flesh foods in male-headed households (M = 4.39, SD = 1.74), and female-headed households (M = 1.26, SD = 0.44); t = 5.28, p = 0.000. Similarly, there was a significant difference in the consumption score of poultry products in female-headed households (M = 2.65, SD = 0.44), and male-headed households (M = 5.26, SD = 1.71); t = 6.34, p = 0.000. Moreover, a significant difference in the consumption of milk and dairy products such as chicken and eggs was found in female-headed households (M = 1.54, SD = 0.30) and male-headed households (M = 4.54, SD = 1.80) (t = 2.014, p = 0.010).&#x0D; Conclusion and Recommendations: The study comes to the conclusion that, in the Mbinga District, there are variations in the dietary diversity of households according to household headship. Female-headed households had low dietary diversity as compared to male-headed households. The primary food source for households was the harvest from farms, with male-headed households making up the majority of purchases due to their relative economic wellness compared to female-headed households. As a result, nutritional diversity in households varied according to family headship. The Tanzanian government should develop gender-responsive sensitization programs to ensure equal access to food, resources, education, and economic opportunities for both men and women. Addressing insufficient household dietary diversity requires collecting and integrating data on national food security and nutrition statistics, fostering collaboration, and empowering unprivileged women. Additionally, the Tanzania Social Action Fund should support female-headed households, particularly those with abandoned male heads.

Does non-farm employment increase rural households’ consumption in western Ethiopia? Empirical evidence from the horo guduru wollega zone

In rural areas where farming is the primary source of income for farmers, engaging in non-farm activities can provide an additional source of income and improve household consumption. However, several social and economic factors present challenges to the involvement of rural households in non-farm activities. This study aimed to examine the impact of non-farm participation on household consumption in rural areas.A multistage sampling method was used to select the sample households from the study area. Heckman's two-step procedure was utilized to analyze survey data obtained from 383 rural household heads. The results indicated that participating in non-farm employment had a positive and significant effect on household consumption levels. The result indicated that households that engage in non-farm activities had higher levels of consumption compared to those who do not participate in such activities. The study also identified several factors that influence household consumption in rural areas. These factors include education, access to credit, distance to market, TLU (Tropical Livestock Unit), membership in “iqub" (a social financial system), health status, non-farm training, and gender. It was found that gender disparities exist, with female-headed households experiencing lower consumption levels than male-headed households. Based on the findings, the research recommended addressing gender disparities and improving rural infrastructure, particularly in relation to enhancing health services, electricity supply, road transport, and education. Efforts should also be made to overcome the challenges related to access to training and credit. The study emphasized the significance of recognizing the impact of supporting existing social financial systems, such as iqub, in improving household consumption in rural areas.

Do gender disparities in socioeconomic status affect Teff productivity? A comparative analysis in Ethiopia

Ethiopia is one of Africa’s fastest-growing economies, and the recent political and economic reforms recognize the importance of empowering women and increasing their labour force participation. The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) constitution of 1995 recognized women’s right to equality and provides intervened to enable women to compete and participate in all spheres of life and to exercise their rights on equal grounds with men. Gender empowerment and gender equality are given national priority and positioned at the centre of all policy, legal, and institutional frameworks. Research suggests that women remain overrepresented in lower-skilled jobs, while carrying out the bulk of unpaid care work. Women also face multiple forms of deprivation, gender-based discrimination, lack of access to productive resources, intimate partner violence, lack of education and training, and employment. Persistent inequalities in ownership and control over assets, such as land, houses, and oxen negatively affect their productivity and livelihoods. This paper aims at answering the question “Do gender disparities in socioeconomic status affect Teff productivity in Ethiopia?” Using mixed methods, the study conducted a cross-sectional household survey. Purposive sampling was used to select top Teff-producing regions, districts, Kebeles, key informants and FGD participants while a random sampling method was used to select the survey respondents. Results suggest that, although women were fully engaged in Teff production activities, due to a low level of ownership of productive resources such as land, labour, and oxen, there is a statistically significant difference in Teff production between female and male-headed households which needs the attention of the government and stakeholders. The paper contributes to understanding how gender-based disparities in socioeconomic status affect Teff production.

POVERTY LEVEL OF TOBACCO PRODUCER HOUSEHOLDS IN EASTERN JAVA PROVINCE (CASE STUDY OF TOBACCO FARMERS IN SITUBONDO REGENCY)

In this study using Farmer Income Survey (SPP) data, in the 2022 agricultural research survey, it was proposed to identify the impact of individuals on poverty levels in tobacco farming households in Situbondo Regency. The data sample used is 200 farmers who work in the agricultural sector of tobacco farming. Based on the results of descriptive analysis, it was concluded that the category of the age group was less than 25 years, with a minimum of elementary school education, the number of household members less than 4 people and the head of the household the number of poor people was higher in farmers who were more than 25 years old, had elementary school education, had more of 4 household members, and has a female head of household. Households (KRT) who are female have a greater number of poor groups than those who are not poor. Based on binary logistic regression analysis showed that age, education, number of household members, employment status, and gender of the head of the household had a statistically significant effect on the poverty status of tobacco farmers in the tobacco farming sector in Situbondo Regency. Farmers in tobacco farming who are between 45 and 64 years old, well educated, have few household members, are self-employed and have a male head of household tend to be less poor.

Gender and livelihood assets: Assessing climate change resilience in Phalombe district – Malawi

Access and use of livelihood assets are pertinent to recovery from impacts of climate change for rural households. This study investigated role of livelihood assets to recovery from the impacts of climate change for male and female headed households in Phalombe district in Malawi. Using exploratory sequential mixed methods design, qualitative data was collected using Participant Observation coupled with interviews in two successive phases. Quantitative data was collected using household questionnaire involving 217 households. Results show that erratic rainfall and floods are the main impacts of climate change in the study area. Male headed households have better access to human, financial and natural assets compared to female headed households. There is no significant difference on the recovery period from erratic rainfall for either type of household, but male headed households recover much more quickly from floods than female headed households. Results show that social assets are key to recovery from both erratic rainfall and floods for both male and female headed households. Natural assets contribute to recovery from erratic rainfall for male headed households while human assets are important for female headed households. Human assets are vital for recovery from floods for both male and female headed households while physical assets are important for male headed households. The study shows that enhancing social capital and developing human assets especially for female headed households can significantly contribute towards resilience to the impacts of climate change.

Female-headed household characteristics and poverty levels in Namibia: An ordinal probit analysis of the 2015/16 Namibia Household Income and Expenditure Survey

Poverty incidence in Namibia is higher amongst female-headed households (46%) compared to male-headed households (41%). However, this situation is further worsened by females in households increasingly being forced to play multiple, conflicting roles after losing their spouses, and to work in marginal, part-time, informal and low-income jobs due to their lack of access to high-paying jobs, while having to take care of children, siblings and sometimes parents with no form(s) of assistance. In this study, a cross-sectional quantitative study design of the 2015/16 NHIES and an ordinal probit model was used to examine the household characteristics that contribute to poverty among female-headed households in Namibia, as well as their effects on the households’ poverty levels. Results from this study showed that characteristics such as region (p&lt;0.001), main language spoken at home (p&lt;0.001), main source of income (p=0.009), location (p=0.016), and highest level of education (p=0.005) had significant associations with the household poverty levels. Additionally, female-headed households in the urban areas in the Hardap, Otjozondjupa and Zambezi regions, whose main languages spoken were English, German, Zambezi and other languages, with tertiary education and main source of income from commercial farming and other sources were less likely to be severely poor and more likely to be not-poor. Therefore, it is recommended that the Namibian government and policymakers further improve the livelihood of women, especially those heading households in other regions, in terms of a comprehensive social development strategy that covers the immediate needs for short-term and long-term needs of these women.

Parental Involvement and Children Acquisition of Literacy and Numeracy Skills in Uganda

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between parental involvement and children’s acquisition of literacy and numeracy skills in Uganda. The objectives of the study were threefold; to examine the level of competence in children’s literacy and numeracy skills; to establish the relationship between parental involvement and children’s competences in literacy and numeracy skills as well as to predict parental factors in determining children’s competences in literacy and numeracy skills in Uganda. Secondary data from Uwezo 2021dataset were analysed using descriptive statistics, the correlational coefficient and logistic regression analysis was used to explore the levels of competence in literacy and numeracy skills among children, the association between competence levels in literacy and numeracy and parental involvement was analysed; as well as parental factors as predictors in children’s acquisition of literacy and numeracy skills were investigated. The study findings revealed that children in Uganda were at different competence levels in literacy and numeracy. Parental involvement in children’s education also significantly enhanced the acquisition of basic literacy and numeracy skills. However, there was a low positive correlation between parents’ participation in reading with their children and acquisition of literacy and numeracy skills. Noteworthy, findings revealed that numeracy skills of 4-16-year-olds increased with TV and mobile telephone access in households. In conclusion, parental factors play a significant role in predicting the development of literacy and numeracy abilities among children in Uganda. The odds ratio for increased literacy skills was lower in male-headed households but higher in households with parents who completed Ordinary School Certificate, Advanced School Certificate, and tertiary diploma/degree. Thus, the Ministry of Education and Sports should provide free adult education to parents in order to encourage them to be involved in their children’s education. The findings of this study inform education policy review to enhance children’s acquisition of basic skills in literacy and numeracy.

Do food security indicators vary between male and female-headed households? Evidence from legume farmers in Western Kenya

IntroductionFood security is an important aspect of sustainable development at global, national and local levels. However, differences in resource endowments and control thereof, may privilege some households and regions than others. As a result, households’ diets may be varied leading to differences in food security status. Various initiatives that seek to diversify diets through legume integration on farms have been promoted in developing countries; but, their effects on household food security remains undocumented. In order to address the above knowledge gap, this study compares the food security indicators of male and female-headed households that integrate legumes in their farms in Nandi County, Kenya.MethodsUsing cross-sectional data from 374 respondents, various food security scores were computed. Subsequently, the ordinary least squares regression model was applied to determine factors that influence the food security scores.Results and discussionThe results revealed that the food security scores were in the normal range; acceptable food consumption score of 62.20 and medium household dietary diversity score of 5.24. In both the male- and female-headed households; land size, access to credit and distance to nearest open-air market from the household significantly affected food security scores positively, while number of meals per day had significant negative effect. Further, in the male-headed households, the food security score was positively affected by household size and years of farming experience, while the household head’s age negatively affected the food security score. These findings provide useful insights on the need to target specific interventions that support the attainment of desired levels of food security in male- and female-headed households based on their distinct levels of resource endowments and control.

Environmental pollution and its relationship to the media and the law: Awareness of the dialectics of the complementary relationship

The purpose of the study was to determine the level of public awareness regarding environmental pollution, its causes, and the role that the media—particularly environmental media—plays in informing the public about environmental culture and the dangers it poses to their social, health, and developmental well-being. The role that civil law plays in establishing the guilt of the offender, making him pay, and addressing the consequences of pollution within the context of environmental pollution damage civil liability, particularly in light of the challenges associated with establishing the legal foundation for this duty regarding error and damage. The research employed a stratified random sampling technique. Based on the study’s findings, the population in Iraq is not well-informed about environmental culture or pollution by the country’s media. Proposals and recommendations were made in light of the study’s findings. These included the following: educating children about the risks posed by environmental pollution at home; creating environmental education curricula for all educational levels; disseminating environmental messages in the media; and streamlining these messages so that everyone in society can understand them.

Food and Nutrition Insecurity and Farming Household Resilience to COVID-19 Shocks in Ghana

The COVID-19 pandemic affected farming households in Sub-Saharan Africa. As a case in point, we examine farming households’ resilience to food and nutrition insecurity in Ghana under the COVID-19 shocks. Focus group discussions were initially conducted with farming household heads to identify households’ sources of resilience and the different COVID-19 shocks. A multi-stage random sampling technique was then used to survey 252 farming households. We used different econometric modelling techniques, that is, the multiple indicators multiple causes modelling procedure, ordinary least square, and multinomial probit model, for data analysis. Our results provide supportive evidence affirming that COVID-19 shocks undermine farming households’ resilience and food and nutrition security. Urban and male-headed households experience more food and nutrition insecurity than rural and female-headed households. Farming households’ adaptive capacity significantly contributed to household resilience and food and nutrition security. The findings suggest that lessons learned from the current pandemic can help policymakers, governments, and international organisations build adequate responses and interventions that strengthen and support farming households’ resilience to food and nutrition security and systemic shocks such as COVID-19 in Ghana.

Households’ Factors Influencing Choice of Waste Management Strategies in Lagos State, Nigeria

The study examined the factors influencing Households' choice of waste management strategies in Lagos State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select respondents for the study. In the first stage, two states (Lagos state and Ogun state) were purposively selected based on their well-organized waste management systems, relatively advanced waste management arrangements and close proximity. In the second stage, three LGAs were purposively selected from Lagos state, while three LGAs were selected in Ogun state considering well-organized waste management systems. In the third stage, a stratified sampling technique was used to select four communities from each LGA into two different strata, namely: high-income and low-income stratum. In the fourth stage, fifteen respondents were selected using a systematic sampling technique. In all, 360 respondents were used for the study. &#x0D; Primary and secondary data collected from 360 respondents were analyzed using descriptive statistics, multidimensional poverty index, multinomial logit, regression model, contingent valuation and probit regression model. The average age of the household head was 47 years, which implies that the respondents were mostly middle-aged people who were still within their economically active age group. This is expected to positively influence the respondents' decision-making as they would be making sound decisions regarding waste management since they are likely to be more exposed to different health-related information. The result further proves that the majority (51.1%) of the household heads in Lagos and Ogun States were male. The higher percentage of male-headed households in the study area suggests that they were the breadwinners of their respective households. The Multinomial logistic regression result showed that years spent in school, household size, cost of waste disposal, membership of cooperative, biodegradable and transfer payment were the major factors that determine the acceptance of waste management strategies alternatives available in the study area.

Analyzing gender gap in agricultural productivity: Evidence from Ethiopia

Women make up more than 50% of the agricultural labor force but contribute less than 30% to agricultural productivity. Agriculture is the main source of livelihood in Ethiopia but by contributes more than 35% to GDP, 90% to forex earnings, and 70% to employment sources. So Improving economic well-being ensuring sustainable development, and reducing poverty is impossible by ignoring the role of women. Consequently, the main objective of the study is to investigate the gender gap in agricultural productivity using national Panel data of 3474 households which were collected in 2017 and 2019 by the Policy Studies Institute for AGP II baseline study and midline evaluation. Among these, 69% (2404) were male-headed and 31% (1070) were female-headed households. The panel data were combined with DID, Oaxaca Decomposition, and the Random effect Tobit model to investigate the gender gap. The result from the DID Method of Impact Evaluation shows that female-headed households were less productive by 3.7% and 2.05 quintals per hectare when measured in terms of value in birr and quintals per hectare compared to male-headed households. In contrast, male-headed households were more productive by 4% and 2.05 quintals compared to female-headed households. Additionally, the results from the pooled and random effect Tobit model showed that soil fertility, sex of the household head, slope of the land, total livestock holding in TLU, extension contact, use of inorganic fertilizer, credit use, machinery use, and plantation method are among the determinants of the gender gap in agricultural productivity. Furthermore, results from the Oaxaca decomposition show that a gender productivity difference between male and female-headed households was roughly 11.2% when measured by value and 5% when measured by an area-weighted formula. The main finding of the study is that endowment effects were less likely to have a significant impact on the productivity gap than structural effects did. Differences in the unexplained characteristics of men and women may also contribute to the considerable productivity gap between male-headed and female-headed households. Therefore, working on women's empowerment to improve their structural disadvantages through various training programs that favor women or gender-mainstreamed extension training programs for lowering gender productivity differentials is a possible policy option.

Drought and migration: a case study of rural Mozambique.

Migration is commonly seen as a last resort for households impacted by climate shocks, given the costs and risks that migration typically entails. However, pre-existing labor migration channels may facilitate immediate migration decisions in response to climate shocks. This study explores the relationship between migration and droughts in a rural Sub-Saharan setting from which men commonly migrate in search of non-agricultural employment. We use data from the Men's Migrations and Women's Lives project, which includes a longitudinal household panel conducted in rural Mozambique between 2006 and 2017, and combine it with the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index, a high-resolution climate measure. The fixed-effect models assess the lagged impact of droughts on the labor migration status of male household heads. We find an immediate increase in migration following a drought, peaking in the first year, then diminishing in the second year, with a slight resurgence in the third year. However, by the sixth-year post-drought, the likelihood of being a migrant turns negative. These findings demonstrate the complex associations of climate shocks with labor migration in low-income rural settings.

Land acquisition policy and practice for cooperative housing scheme in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia: toward affordable housing solutions

Bahir Dar, a city in Ethiopia, is grappling with the challenges of rapid urbanization, which has made affordable housing a critical issue for its growing population. This study specifically focuses on the urban land acquisition process for cooperative housing schemes, which serve as an essential component of Bahir Dar’s affordable housing program. This atudy aimed to examine the current practices, identify the challenges faced by housing cooperatives during land acquisition and construction, and propose strategies for improvement. The primary data for this research were collected through interviews with key informants from the Bahir Dar City administration’s land management, cooperative organizer office, housing development and management office, and housing cooperative committees. Additionally, three focus group discussion (FGD) sessions were conducted, involving 21 participants from cooperative members who had acquired residential land and from those who were waiting for allocation, including both female- and male-headed households. These discussions explored their views on the effectiveness of the cooperative housing scheme, the challenges encountered during cooperation and construction, and their recommendations for enhancement. Secondary data were also gathered through a comprehensive review of policies, regulations, research articles, reports, and relevant legal documents. The study revealed that, out of the 35,512 certified housing cooperative members since 2014, only 31,596 of them had received residential land plots. However, a relatively small fraction, i.e., less than 7,000 cooperative members, managed to partially or fully construct their homes. This indicates that the scheme has not fully achieved its intended goal and remains unaffordable for many members. The main challenges faced by cooperative members include lengthy delays in obtaining serviced land, high construction costs, and unrealistic building standards for cooperative housing units. In light of these findings, it is recommended that the Amhara National Regional State revise its housing cooperative policy to become affordable for cooperative housing members, particularly in terms of land acquisition costs and building standards.