Abstract:
The main objective of the study is to assess rural energy choice by small holder farming
households in selected rural kebeles. The type and amount of energy chooses by nations vary
depending on their level of economic development; the survey result indicated use of traditional
fuels dominate households' energy choice. The main goal of this study is to assess rural energy
choice by small holder farming households in rural Ethiopia by using a household survey data
from rural Oromia National regional state of purposively selected Ejersa Lefo Woreda in the
Western part of the region in three randomly selected sample Kebeles namely, S/Debissa,
D/Tenko and K/Andode which are found in three Administrative kebeles. The survey was covered
a random sample of 182 household heads selected from three rural villages based on a
probability proportional to size in 2023. After adjustments throughout the data analyzing
process, first draft of thesis was carried out in March 2023 by advisor for further strengthening
and validity of research work. Data collected from the field were analyzed by using Descriptive
statistics and Econometric models. Descriptive statistics shows that most of the rural households
depend on traditional biomass fuels154(84.6%) while only 28(15.38%) use clean fuels as
primary sources of energy for cooking on the other hand Logistic Regression result shows that
Education level, Total land holding/Farm size/, Distance to Wood Source, Credit Access, Access
to Information Center, Access to Electricity and Employment Status of household were
significant factors affecting rural energy choice positively while Dependency Ratio and Distance
to road were found to Significantly affect household energy choice negatively. In the plains
areas, households mainly depend on charcoal and use cow dung, straw, solar energy, and wood
as auxiliary energy sources. Through governmental, non-governmental and all stakeholders
should take parts by making road availability and access of electricity to rural farmers,
encouraging access of information services, diversifying income source for landless young
farmers in collaboration with Agricultural and Rural Development Bureau, awareness creation
for supporting of family with large number of less income earners to use family planning, and
hence, policy makers and energy planners in Ethiopia and sub-Saharan Africa at large need to
consider these diverse factors when designing energy policies and interventions to rural areas.
