Cross-sectional data on the factors associated with income diversification among agricultural households in the Katangese Copperbelt
Description
The dataset provides useful information on household income diversification and income-generating activities. The questionnaire covered household socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, household expenditures, income-generating activities, income diversification, intra-household decision-making, household income, and selected household outcomes. The study is based on the hypothesis that agricultural households in the Katangese Copperbelt diversify their income sources in response to household financial pressures and the need to meet basic needs, including food, rent, education, and housing. The dataset was collected through a cross-sectional survey of 300 agricultural households, comprising 150 households from Lubumbashi and 150 from Kolwezi, in the peri-urban areas of the southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Face-to-face interviews were conducted using a structured questionnaire administered in Kiswahili and French. The data cover household socioeconomic characteristics, expenditure pressures, income-generating activities, support to relatives, income diversification, intra-household decision-making, household income, and perceived household achievements and living conditions. The data show that income diversification is widespread but differs between the two sites: 80.7% of households in Lubumbashi reported multiple income-generating activities, compared with 60.0% in Kolwezi. Vegetable cultivation, small trade, artisanal mining, and brickmaking were the principal activity sectors. Logistic regression indicates that income diversification is significantly associated with household income instability, financial assistance to people outside the household, perceived increases in household expenses, fear of falling into poverty, and contributions by household members to household income. These findings suggest that diversification functions primarily as a livelihood adaptation strategy under economic pressure rather than solely as an opportunity-driven choice. The data also reveal substantial differences in perceived household achievements between the two cities, while only a small proportion of respondents (14.3%) reported improvements in their living conditions. However, because the dataset is cross-sectional and relies partly on self-reported information, the results should be interpreted as associations rather than causal effects.
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Steps to reproduce
Data were collected through a cross-sectional household survey conducted between February and May 2026 in Lubumbashi and Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of the Congo. We administered a structured questionnaire face-to-face to 300 agricultural households, with 150 households selected from each city. The questionnaire, prepared in French and translated into Kiswahili where necessary, covered household socioeconomic characteristics, income-generating activities, income diversification, economic constraints, intra-household decision-making, and perceived household achievements. Respondents participated voluntarily after informed consent. The collected data were coded, entered into Microsoft Excel, and analyzed using statistical software, including descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression, to identify factors associated with income diversification.