Poverty, Food Security and Women Employment in Urban Ethiopia (A Case Study in Sodo Town)

Ethiopia is one of the world’s poorest countries in the world. The country suffers spells of drought, which resulting famines and such conditions have a strong influence on the living standards of the whole population, particularly in the north and the dry southeast part of the country. Data from a survey of 100 inhabitants of Sodo town were used to examine the extent and determinants of poverty in the town, and the systematic relationship between women’s income and household expenditure pattern. Both descriptive and econometrics analysis were used. Logit Model the study was used to analyze and identify the determinants of poverty in the town. The econometric variables educational level, occupation and age of the household head and family size were found to be the significant parameters in determining the probability of being under poverty. On the top of that, by applying a simple microeconomics concept, Engel curve, the study attempted to analyze the effect of percentage share of female’s income in a household on the expenditure pattern of the household on different food items. The result attested that percentage share of female’s income in a family has a positive and significant effect on vegetables and fruits, and spices expenditures. Educational status of the head was appeared a significant factor in determining the probability of being poor. Meaning, those households whose head has attended more schooling is less likely to be in absolute poverty. Age of the household head also has a negative and significant effect on the probability of being poor. This is to mean that as age of the hhh increases the probability of being under poverty go down. As it was evident from the head count poverty index, nearly half of the surveyed households were under poverty i.e. they were unable to meet the minimum expenditure on food items for survival. From this result, therefore, the study suggests that urban poverty should be get due emphasis from the concerned body. Creating a good employment opportunities for women has a paramount of significance not only in the alleviation of poverty and achievement of food security but also for realization of nutrition security. Since most of the households which are headed by old age persons are under absolute poverty, there should be a good social security system as far as what is possible. DOI: 10.7176/JCSD/52-01 Publication date:October 31st 201