Agroforestry Perspective in Land Use Pattern and Farmers Coping Strategy: Experience from Southwestern Ethiopia

Abstract

: The study aims an investigating for the implication of tree based land use pattern to smallholder farmers’ food insecurity coping mechanism. Information on household characteristics, purpose of land use practices, household food security situation and tree based land use has contributed to household food security were collected through household interviews. About 11% of the total households were randomly selected for the study. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and chi square test. About 43.9 % of the respondents undertook land use pattern in a form of homegarden, coffee farm and farm. Pearson correlation results showed that there was no association between land use pattern and household land holding size (r (93) = -0.141, p=.177). The result also showed that about 88% of the respondent were attained food security through local purchasing from local market ranging from a month to six months depending on households. Agroforestry helped the households to attain food security as source of cash for all assessed households and as a source of food for 72% of the assessed households. Pearson correlation results showed that there was positive relationship between household food security and tree based land use system (r (98) =.246, p=0.016). Analysis of chi square result showed households with tree based land use system were more likely to attain food security (x =4.324, df=1, N=98, P=.038).