AN ASSESSMENT OF HOUSEHOLDS’ FOOD INSECURITY IN MESELA WOREDA, WEST HARARGHE ZONE, OROMIA REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The study has conducted with the main objective of assessing households’ food insecurity in the Mesela Woreda, West Hararghe Zone; Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. In order to achieve this objective, the primary data pertaining to demographic, economic, socio-cultural, biophysical, institutional, livelihood Strategies and coping mechanisms were collected from 194 randomly selected respondents through personal interview using structured questionnaire administered by 6 enumerators. Furthermore, the study was supplemented by secondary data collected from various sources. The collected data were presented, organized and discussed using both descriptive statistics and econometric analyses. Attempts were made to look in to the specific characteristics of the food secure and food insecure groups using t-test and chi-square tests. Binary Logistic regression model was used to identify the potential variables capable of affecting the food insecurity status in the woreda. In order to measure whether selected sample household is food secure or not, the amounts of calorie available to a household were determined using a modified version of the regional food balance model. The descriptive analysis result revealed that, 179 (92.3%) and 15 (7.7%) of total sample households were found to be food insecure and food secure respectively. Age of the household head, sex of household head, family size, dependency ratio, annual income, number of livestock owned, farm land size, education status of household head, food aid, irrigation, credit use and off farm/Non-farm participation were among the predictor variables included in the data analysis. Moreover, limiting size and frequency of food, borrowing and gifts from relatives and friends, selling of livestock, selling of firewood and relief assistance were identified as the main coping strategies practiced in the study area. Finally, limiting population size, promoting and expanding off-farm income generating activities, improving the livestock production and productivity were recommended.