Orphan crops and the vulnerability of rural livelihoods: The case of enset in Ethiopia

Abstract

This study examines the role of enset or false banana, an orphan crop with high resilience to extreme environmental conditions, high nutritional value, and long storability, in the livelihood of rural households in Ethiopia. With its specific characteristics, enset could reduce households' vulnerability but this is poorly understood as orphan crops typically receive little research attention. We analyze the contribution of enset to household income, food security, and vulnerability to shocks. We use data from a comprehensive household survey, covering 684 rural households in Southern Ethiopia. We rely on the sustainable livelihoods framework to guide the empirical analysis and use a stepwise regression approach combined with a control function method to limit endogeneity bias. We find that household income slightly improves with enset cultivation, but food security does not. Yet, enset plants significantly reduce the negative impact of shocks on food security. Households with enset plants are less vulnerable to shocks and perceive less risk.