Agency releases 2010/11 household consumption, expenditure survey report

Addis Ababa, November 9 (WIC) -The Central Statistical Agency (CSA) of Ethiopia released the 2010/11 household consumption and expenditure (HCE) survey report. 

The HCE survey is administered by CSA every five years, most recently in 2010/11. Previous Surveys were undertaken in 1995/96, 1999/00 and 2004/05.

The 2010/11 HCE survey covered all rural and urban areas of the country except the non-sedentary populations in Afar (three zones) and Somali (six zones).  

“The major findings of the 2010/11 HCE survey are broken down into three larger categories, namely, socio-economic indicators, expenditure levels and sources, and caloric consumption,” Alemayehu Teferi, Household Survey and Price Statistics Directorate Director with CSA told WIC.

According to the findings, in 2010/11, rural households had on average 5.1 people while urban households had only 3.7 people. On a national level, the average number of people in a household in 2010/11 was 4.8, the same as the 2004/5 average, he said. Nationally, 25 per cent of all households are headed by females. 

Regarding income contribution, in urban areas, the average percent of male workers is 52% compared to 61% in rural areas probably due to the prevalence of female “homemaking” or child rearing in rural areas.

According to Alemayehu, literacy rates have seen marked positive changes since 2004/5. Both males and females, urban and rural, have experienced increases in literacy rates, he said. 

In 2004/5, the national rate was 37.6%. In 2010/11, 48.3% of the population aged 10 and over was literate, he said. 

Concerning expenditure levels and sources, On the whole, food and non-alcoholic beverages account for 46.1% of average per capita expenditure. Housing and utilities a distant second at 22.2%, he said. 

Most of the expenditure will be sourced by the primary occupation of the household head and members, he added.

Agricultural enterprise, non-agricultural enterprise, wages and salaries, house rental, remittances and free collection, make up 96% of overall average household expenditure, he said.

The 2010/11 HCE survey also shows that at country level daily gross calorie intake per adult equivalent is (3004.6).