Land Fragmentation and Food Insecurity in Ethiopia

Abstract

This paper builds on the literature surrounding the economic consequences of land fragmentation, focusing on the effects of such fragmentation on food insecurity rather than agricultural productivity. Building on existing literature, it accounts for concerns regarding the exogeneity of fragmentation, its measurement, and the importance of considering impacts in terms of different welfare metrics. Using data from the Living Standards and Measurement Survey (LSMS) that are well-suited to addressing these issues, the analysis finds that land fragmentation reduces food insecurity in Ethiopia. This result is robust to how fragmentation is measured and to how exogeneity concerns are addressed. Further, the paper finds that land fragmentation mitigates the adverse effects of low rainfall on food security. This is because households with diverse parcel characteristics can grow a greater variety of crop types.