Journal of Agriculture and Food Research 9 (2022) 100346 Available online 20 July 2022 2666-1543/© 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by- nc-nd/4.0/). Rural household livelihood strategies and diet diversifcation in North Shewa, Central Ethiopia Ashenaf Hailu Shekuru a, * , Arega Bazezew Berlie b , Yechale Kebede Bizuneh a a Arba Minch University, Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Ethiopia b Bahir Dar University, Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Ethiopia A R T I C L E INFO Keywords: Rural household Livelihood strategies Diet diversifcation Ethiopia ABSTRACT This study was conducted to examine rural household livelihood strategies and diet diversifcation in North Shewa Administrative Zone (NSAZ), Central Ethiopia. A total of 372 family heads took part in the study. They were selected through multistage sampling procedure. Data collection took place from February to March 2020 using Questionnaire, Focused Group Discussions (FGDs) plus Key Informant Interviews (KIIs).The collected data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA and binary logistic regression model. The fnding showed that rural households who diversifed their livelihood strategies by combining agriculture with at least one of the activities outside agriculture make up only about 31.20% of the respondents. Out of eight baskets of food items (legumes, nuts and seeds; cereals; vegetables; fruits; milk and milk products; oils and fats; eggs and meat) considered to calculate Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS), only 22.60% of the sampled households consumed ≥4 baskets of food items within a 24 h recall period. The remaining 77.40% of the studied households consumed <4 baskets of food items and as such, they were subjected to dietary inadequacy. Results obtained from one-way between-groups analysis of variance revealed a statistically acceptable variation in the mean HDDS at p < 0.01 level among farming, non-farming and both farming plus non-farming rural household live- lihood groups [F (2, 369) = 20.94, p = 0.00]. Binary logistic regression model also showed that age of a rural family head, labour size in the household, farm size, livestock possession, extension contact, market distance and access to credit are important predictors for diversifcation of rural household livelihood strategies. Policymakers and stakeholders should consider these variables while designing intervention mechanisms. 1. Introduction Rural families in low-income nations largely rely on small-scale subsistence farming as their livelihood base [1–4]. Their agricultural production system is characterized by the use of low inputs, backward technology, vulnerability to weather and production-related shocks and the like. They do not produce enough both for the market and for con- sumption at home [5]. The situation in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) closely resembles in actual fact the circumstances in other regions for devel- oping economies. Smallholder farming system constitutes the leading means of survival for most rural households in the region. The produc- tivity level of agriculture is very low and could not cope with the needs of the region’s rapidly growing population [6]. Ethiopia has been clas- sifed amongst the low-income nations in SSA, whose economy is typically farming. It is one of the poorest nations on the planet, with over 50% of its population estimated to be destitute living below poverty line [7]. More than 80% of the country’s citizens rely on smallholder farming system as their livelihood base [8]. Ethiopia’s economy is based on agriculture, which is the country’s core and backbone. It accounts for over 41% of GDP, employs approximately 85% of the labour force, and generates roughly 90% of total export revenues [9]. However, the sector is characterized by dependence on rainfall and vulnerability to recurrent drought, subsistence oriented and dominated by resource-poor small- holders, cultivation of marginal or degraded or fragmented farmlands, shortage of draft power and other means of production, traditional farming system and poor usage of improved or modern farm inputs [7–9]. The agricultural productivity level has remained very low and cannot provide suffcient food for the people. While the majority of rural Abbreviations: FGD, Focus Group Discussion; DDS, Dietary Diversity Score; HDDS, Household Dietary Diversity Supply; KII, Key Informants Interview; NSAZ, North Shewa Administrative Zone; ONRS, Oromia National Regional State; SSA, Sub-Saharan Africa. * Corresponding author. E-mail address: shekuruashenaf@gmail.com (A.H. Shekuru). Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Journal of Agriculture and Food Research journal homepage: www.sciencedirect.com/journal/journal-of-agriculture-and-food-research https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafr.2022.100346 Received 31 January 2022; Received in revised form 13 June 2022; Accepted 17 July 2022