Dietary diversity is a key indicator of diet quality and nutritional adequacy. In Ethiopia, diets are largely based on energy-dense staples, with limited consumption of nutrient-rich foods. Many existing studies inadequately account for seasonal variation, nutrient-level outcomes, and the role of agricultural systems within broader food environment factors. This study examines how farm-level production diversity and seasonality, along with agricultural and market-related food-environment characteristics, influence dietary diversity and nutrient intake among women and young children. A repeated cross-sectional study was conducted across two critical agricultural periods: the pre-harvest (August–September 2022) and post-harvest (March–April 2023) seasons. The sample comprised 520 women aged 15–49 years and 250 children aged 6–23 months. Data were collected using a structured household survey that included dietary diversity indicators and a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to estimate nutrient intake. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression was used to analyse determinants of nutrient intake, while Poisson regression models were applied to assess factors associated with dietary diversity. Higher farm-level production diversity was strongly associated with improved nutrient intake among both women and children. Dietary diversity increased modestly in the post-harvest season for both groups. Among women, the proportion meeting Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women (MDD-W) rose from 16.8% to 25.0%. Among children, Minimum Dietary Diversity (MDD) increased from 11.8% to 23.3%, and Minimum Acceptable Diet (MAD) from 7.6% to 16.5% after harvest. Despite improvements linked to production diversity and post-harvest gains, energy and micronutrient deficiencies persisted. Nutrient intake varied significantly across cropping systems: agropastoral and highland perennial systems were associated with higher calcium and vitamin A intake, whereas tuber-based systems consistently had lower zinc intake. Limited market access, greater distance from roads, and rising food prices were negatively associated with nutrient intake. Farm-level production diversity plays a key role in improving micronutrient intake among women and children in rural Ethiopia, but diversification alone is insufficient. Persistent nutrient gaps, together with infrastructure, market access, and food affordability constraints, underscore the need for integrated strategies that link diversified farming systems with investments in markets, roads, and targeted nutrition interventions. Not applicable.
Hailu et al. (Mon,) studied this question.