Household Tree Planting in Tigrai, Northern Ethiopia: Tree Species, Purposes, and Tenure Security. (July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gebreegziabher, Zenebe; Mekonnen, Alemu; Kassie, Menale; Köhlin, Gunnar
• Is Part Of: Land use policy. Volume 96(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-07
• Subjects: Tree planting -- Tree attributes/purposes -- Tree species choice -- Tenure security -- Sample selection -- Tigrai -- Ethiopia; Q2 -- Q23 -- Q28; Land use -- Periodicals; Land use -- Government policy -- Periodicals; Sol, Utilisation du -- Périodiques; Sol, Utilisation du -- Politique gouvernementale -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 333.7305
• DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2020.104635
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0264-8377

Abstract

Highlights: We assess the role of tenure security in households' tree investments. Perceived tenure security is important determinant of households' tree investments. Households consider diversity of attributes in making decisions to plant specific trees. Policymakers may target households' choices of specific tree species for their attributes. Abstract: Trees on farms have multiple roles in rural livelihoods, providing significant economic and ecological benefits. Trees on farms also constitute vital components in mixed crop-livestock-tree systems. In this paper, we analyze household tree planting and tenure security and explore the most important determinants that enhance the propensity to plant trees, using a cross-sectional household-level dataset from a sample of 200 households in the highlands of Tigrai, northern Ethiopia. Specifically, we employ a sample selection model that simultaneously takes into account the two decisions of tree growers (whether or not to plant tree and how many) to analyze the effect of tenure security on tree planting. We also use a multinomial logistic regression model to analyze the most important determinants contributing to a household's decision of planting of particular tree species. We find that, among other things, tenure security enhances the propensity to plant trees as well as the amount of tree planting. Findings also suggest that households consider a diversity of attributes in making decisions to plant specific trees. These results can be used by policymakers to promote on-farm and homestead tree cultivation of private households in the study area by strengthening tenure security and considering households' choices of specific tree species based on their attributes.