Due to the lack of progress in reducing the rate of poverty in Ethiopia, a map of marginality was created for the region to survey the state of poverty.[4] In Marginality as a Root Cause of Poverty: Identifying Marginality Hotspots in Ethiopia, Gatzweiler defines marginality as "an involuntary position and condition of an individual or group at the margins of social, political, economic, ecological, and biophysical systems, that prevent them from access to resources, assets, services, restraining freedom of choice, preventing the development of capabilities, and eventually causing extreme poverty".[4] Marginality does not operate as a means to analyze the causes of poverty, rather it serves as a main cause of poverty itself and calls for a deeper analysis of the position of individuals within their society.[4] Marginality directly deals with social webs and systems and how individuals have a sociological effects on the essential functions of everyday society.[4] There are hotspots of marginality in the South-West and North regions of the country.[4] Some strong indications of high marginality among poor agro-ecological conditions and ethnically homogeneous areas. The agro-ecological zones with the highest levels of marginality were found among the Kolla and Bertha zones, both of which have extremely arid temperatures.[4] The study also found that areas of high marginality had one ethnicity that made "up more than 95% of the population".[4] The study estimates that almost 6 million people live in marginal hotspot areas.[4]
The famine in Ethiopia in 1984 served as the beginning of a country-wide famine that lasted for at least 20 years after the crisis itself.[5] According to the study Hunger and Poverty in Ethiopia: local perceptions of famine and famine response, "In 2003, up to 15 million people were considered food insecure."[5] 2002 served as a key year where food security was extremely low, and that food production since the initial famine was on a continual decline throughout various political regimes.[5] The strategy was to improve their agricultural sector and attempt to improve livestock and working conditions, though more negative practices were adopted such as begging, stealing, as well as having a smaller diet.[5] Food aid and food for work programs were effective methods of intervention at the time though they were not sustainable practices.[5] A recent study analyzed the relationship between crop choice and household poverty in Ethiopia.[6] The study showed that households who practice crop diversification are more likely to be alleviated out of poverty than households who specialize crop production.[6] The key conclusion stated that increased crop diversity reduces the probability of being in poverty, and that agricultural diversification is associated with poverty reduction.[6] Researchers believe that these findings should be implemented in developing effective policies for household risk management.[6]
