The Joint Influence of Farm Production Diversity and Food Market Visits on Smallholder Household Diets in Northern Ethiopia

Although various studies have examined the relative influence of farm production diversity and market access on household dietary diversity, few studies have empirically investigated their joint interplay in shaping such diversity. This research addresses this gap based on cross-sectional data from 396 smallholder households in rural Tigray in Northern Ethiopia. In the analysis, a graphical interpretation of the relationship between farm production diversity and market access is followed by a deeper investigation using Poisson estimation methods. We use an alternative measure of market access, households’ frequency of food market visits, rigorously tested for stability, and compare it with alternative measures. Our findings reveal that farm production diversity and market access, jointly and independently, have a positive and significant nonlinear influence on rural smallholder household dietary diversity. The right mix between farm production diversity and smallholder households’ frequency of food market visits increases rural household dietary diversity.