Households’ food consumption status and asset accumulation in the context of export market orientation: A case of avocado producers in Ethiopia

Abstract

This study examined the impact of export market participation on households' food consumption status and asset accumulation in northwestern Ethiopia. It draws on cross-sectional data from 297 randomly selected small-scale avocado producers. To strengthen the reliability of the findings, the study utilized a robust regression model, mitigating potential bias from self-selection. The descriptive results show that while staple cereals dominate household diets, accounting for 80 % of food consumption, nutrient-dense foods such as eggs, meat, and fish remain under-consumed. The study results reveal that export market participation had not brought any significant improvements to the households’ asset accumulation, while the calorie consumption status experienced positive and statistically significant improvements but relatively small impact. The findings suggest that targeted awareness creation programs, technical support, and financial assistance are crucial to enhancing avocado farmers' access to export markets, which could ultimately lead to better household nutrition and asset accumulation status.