Determinants of Rural Women’s Decision in Participation of Microfinance Services: The Case of Omo Microfinance in Boloso Bombe District of Wolaita Zone, Ethiopia

In developing countries, among the poor, rural women are the poorest and more vulnerable.  In Ethiopia, poverty reduction is the most prevalent national issue that the government and people are determined fighting against it. Many efforts have been made to reduce the level of poverty in the country. Therefore, the main objective of this study was factors that influence women participation decision of microfinance services among smallholder farmers. Socio-economic, institutional, psychological and demographic factors that influence the level of women decision in participation of microfinance services. Employing multi-stage sampling technique 100 households were interviewed to gather data. Primary quantitative data were collected using interview schedule through face-to-face interview whereas qualitative data were collected through key informant interview and focus group discussion. Descriptive, inferential and econometric analyses were carried out. The computed independent T-test for the mean income difference was statistically significant among women decision in participation of microfinance service, suggesting that participants were in better-off position to improve their livelihoods. From the sixteen explanatory variables entered into the model, eight variables were found to be significantly determining women decision in participation of microfinance services in the study area at less than 1, 5 to 10 per cent probability levels. These are education level of the household head, land size, family size, credit service access, saving and livestock ownership significantly and  positively affects women decision in participation of  microfinance services while distance to market and owners perception affects negatively and significantly women decision in participation of  microfinance services  at less than 1 and10 per cent probability levels respectively. The findings of the study are likely to be important to microfinance institutions, governments and NGOs in designing policy to empower rural women socially and economically. This study makes the valuable contribution by providing a base to the microfinance institutions for strengthening and expanding their support to rural poor women. Keywords: Microfinance, Ordered logit, participation, Women and Wolaita Ethiopi

Determinants of Product Diversification among Micro and Small Enterprises in Wolaita Zone, Ethiopia: An Econometric Analysis

Micro and Small Enterprises MSEs promotion and job creation go hand in hand in poverty reduction Product diversification among MSE sis known to contribute to risk mitigation and stable MSE sector for job creation across the world This study investigated determinants of product diversification among MSEs in Wolaita Zone Ethiopia Multi-stage sampling technique was employed to select 352 enterprises by using Yamane 1967 formula with 5 per cent precision and 95 per cent confident level Data were collected using interview schedule through face-to-face interview observation key informant interview and focus group discussion and data analyses were carried out by using descriptive inferential statistics and econometric model Econometrics result indicated that ten variables significantly determined the probability of product diversification decisio

Household participation in livelihood diversification choices and its effects on household income of smallholder farmers in Boloso Sore District of Wolaita Zone, Ethiopia

Rural households in many different contexts have been found to diversify their income sources allowing them to spread their risks and to ease consumption. Generating diversified incomes for a majority of the rural poor is an essential component of a successful rural development strategy. This study examined participation in livelihood diversification choice and its effect on household income in Boloso Sore District of Wolaita Zone, Ethiopia. Multistage sampling technique was employed and 270 households were selected for the study. Data analyses were carried out by using descriptive statistics and econometric model. Multinomial logit model was used to identify factors influencing households’ participation in livelihood diversification choices while effects on the household income were analysed by using two-limit Tobit model. The result showed that agricultural activities were the most important source of income for rural households in contributing 72% of total household income with the remaining 28% originating from nonagricultural activities. Multinomial logit model output revealed that age of household head, market distance, members in cooperatives determined participation in livelihood choices significantly and negatively while educational level, economically active members at home, sex, training, owning mobile phone had positively determined participation in livelihood choices. Besides, two-limit Tobit result revealed that age, family size and farm size determined level of income diversification significantly and negatively while educational level, economically active members at home, sex, frequency of extension visit and credit access had positively determined level of income diversification. The findings imply that these factors need to be considered by policy makers in the planning of agricultural and non-agricultural initiatives in the study area

Determinant of Technical Efficiencies of Micro and Small Enterprises in Wolaita Zone, Ethiopia

Efficiency is very important factor for productivity growth. In an economy where resources are scarce and opportunities to use new technologies are limited, studies indicate potential possibility to raise productivity by improving efficiency without necessarily developing new technologies or increasing the resource base. The objective of this study was to determine the technical efficiencies of MSEs in Wolaita Zone, Ethiopia. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 352 enterprises by employing Yamane formula. Data were analyzed by using Data envelopment technique. Findings show that the mean level of technical efficiency was 0.61 for both MSEs together, 0.59 for micro-enterprises and 0.67 for small enterprises. Results indicated that dependent variable which is defined as technical efficiency of MSEs was affected by explanatory variables: age of promoters, managerial training, vocational training, access to finance, family size, location of the enterprises, enterprises age, business plan, investment on ICT, Initial capital, enterprises size, social networking, were included in the model. From twelve possible factors, eight of the explanatory variables age of promoters, enterprises size, vocational training, and investment in ICT, initial capital, social networking, family size and business plan affected technical efficiency significantly. Based on the finding age of promoters, social networking, initial capital, vocational training and investment in ICT were significantly and positively determined technical efficiency while business plan and enterprises size significantly and negatively determined technical efficiencies. These results suggest that increased investment in ICT and vocational training could jointly contribute to an improvement in technical efficiency. Enhancing share capital contribution, enhancing micro-financing efficiency, infrastructural facilities and information dissemination, educating and training of MSEs promoters in business development services (BDS) were recommended to enhance technical efficiency in optimal input usage to obtain maximum output. Keywords: Data Envelopment analysis, MSEs, Technical efficiency, Tobit Model, Wolaita Ethiopia

La música como contribución al desarrollo de la creatividad y las emociones en la educación infantil

Con el presente trabajo nos proponemos comprobar la hipótesis principal de esta investigación: cómo contribuye la música y la educación musical en el desarrollo de la inteligencia musical, la creatividad y la inteligencia emocional y así desarrollar una educación integral en los niños. Para ello, comenzaremos buscando una fundamentación teórica de estas capacidades, explicaremos la metodología utilizada, describiremos la propuesta educativa realizada con los niños y, tras un análisis individual y de los resultados globales, plantearemos nuestras conclusiones.Grado en Educación Infanti

Determinants of Members’ Participation Decision in Cooperatives Teff Market: The Case of Damot Gale District of Wolaita Zone, Ethiopia

When the issue of economic growth and development of the country is raised, one has to take into account the performance of the smallholder farmers. Reducing the challenges they are facing and utilizing their potentials can help to accelerate the agricultural sector and economic development of the country as a whole. Agricultural cooperatives are an ideal means for self-reliance, higher productivity level and promotion of agricultural development. Therefore, the major concern of this study is empirically identifying determinants of members’ participation decision and level of participation in cooperatives teff market: the case of Damot Gale District of Wolaita Zone, Ethiopia.  Both primary and secondary data were taken for this study. A multi-stage sampling procedure was employed to select three agricultural cooperatives and a total of 140 sample respondents taken from Damot Gale District of Wolaita Zone. Primary data pertaining to the years 2018 was collected from selected respondents through interview Schedule. Of the total respondents, about 62.8% and 37.2% were participants and non- participants in agricultural cooperatives in teff market respectively. Secondary data of the cooperatives was also taken from different journals, reviewing literature and articles. Descriptive statistics were used to compare the socio-economic, services rendered by the cooperatives and other institutional characteristics of the participants and non-participants of the cooperative marketing of teff. Testing differences between two samples were done using T-test and Chi-square test. Heckman two stage selection econometric models were employed to identify the participation decision and level of participation of teff in the one District. A total of 13 explanatory variables were included in the model in which six variables were found to be significant. Of these, six explanatory variables namely age, education of household, number of years of farmer experience, off-farm income in birr, household’s land size and yield of teff were found to influence the participation decision and level of participation of teff market positively. Implications of this study are improving the continuous educating and training of members in cooperative marketing increasing the productivity and specialization of the farmers. Keywords: Cooperative marketing, Household decision, Heckman, Wolaita. DOI: 10.7176/JESD/10-15-03 Publication date: August 31st 201