Impact of Irrigation on Farm Household Diet Quality: Evidence from Ethiopia
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2026
Authors
Musa Hasen Ahmed
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AERC
Abstract
Irrigation could theoretically affect farm households’ nutritional status in two
directions. On the one hand, irrigation may improve nutritional status by
boosting farm productivity and household income. On the other hand, it may
deter diet quality by shifting farmers' attention from nutrition-rich food to
cash crops. This study examines the impact of irrigation schemes on farm
households’ nutritional status using nationally representative data from
Ethiopia. Using the endogenous switching regression model, the study shows
that irrigation improves diet quality. In addition, the study also identifies the
production of micronutrient-rich crops such as vegetables and fruit and the
adoption of productivity-enhancing inputs as the main pathways through
which irrigation affects dietary quality. Hence, irrigation can be considered a
viable instrument to enhance the diet quality of smallholders, and efforts
should be made to tackle constraints that impede the adoption of irrigation
technologies