Livelihood diversification strategies play a key role in development process. However, identification of the factors that determine households’ choice of livelihood strategies of pastoralists has received little attention. This research was therefore proposed with the aim of generating location specific data on livelihood strategies and its determinants in Borena district of southern Oromia, Ethiopia. Multistage random sampling technique was employed to select 110 household heads from three kebeles of Borena district. Data were collected using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Descriptive statistics and multinomial logit model have been employed to analyze the data. The income portfolio analysis revealed that pastoral production still plays a leading role by contributing higher share of the total household income. Different socioeconomic characteristics of the household significantly influence the level of livelihood diversification. Age of household head, farm input use, extension contact, market access, credit access and owned cattle size are the main factors. Therefore, household livelihoods are highly diverse and policy makers need to reflect on the most suitable ways of supporting this diversity and they should empower pastoralists to engage with policy formulation on more appropriate pastoral legislation that protect pastoral land rights and sustainable livelihoods options.

Objective: To investigate the relation of child dietary diversity and household food insecurity along with other socio-demographic with child anthropometric indices in north-central Ethiopia, an area with a high level of food insecurity and inadequate diet quality. Design: A community-based cross-sectional study was used. Settings: The study was conducted in Dessie and Combolcha towns of north-central Ethiopia from April to May 2018. Participants: Randomly selected 512 mother-child pairs with child’s age range of 6–59 months. Results: The mean (± SD) scores of weight-for-height/length, height/length-for-age, weight-for-age, and BMI-for-age Z-scores were 1.35 (± 2.03), − 1.89 (± 1.79), 0.05 (± 1.54), and 1.39 (± 2.06), respectively. From all anthropometric indicators, stunting and overweight/obesity remained the severe public issues hitting 43% and 42% of the children, respectively. In the model, mothers’ age and education and child’s age, sex, and dietary diversity were significantly related with child height-for-age Z-score while place of residence, sex of household head, child’s age, and dietary diversity score were the predictors of child BMI-for-age Z-score in the urban contexts of the study area. Nevertheless, food insecurity was not related to any of the child anthropometric indices. Conclusion: The double burden of malnutrition epidemics (stunting and obesity) coexisted as severe public health concerns in urban settings. Anthropometric statuses of children were affected by multidimensional factors and seek strong integration and immediate intervention of multiple sectors.