RURAL HOUSEHOLDS’ FOOD SECURITY STATUS AND COPING STRATEGIES FOR SEASONAL FOOD SHORTAGE: THE CASE OF SOUTH ACHEFER WOREDA, WEST GOJJAM ZONE, AMHARA REGION, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess rural households’ food security status, its determinants and food insecurity coping strategies practiced by rural households in South Achefer woreda, North Western Ethiopia. A multistage sampling method was employed to select the sample households. First, the woreda was stratified based on agro-ecology into three; and four kebeles out of 18 were randomly selected. Finally, a total of 130 sample household heads were randomly selected from the four kebeles following the probability proportional to size technique. Both primary and secondary data were collected from relevant sources. Primary data were collected by direct interview, focus group discussions and key informant interview from relevant households. Secondary data were collected from various sources. Household caloric acquisition recall method for the last seven days was used to measure food security status of sample households. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as mean, percentage, tables, standard deviation and econometric model. Chi-square and t-test were used to see the difference among the two groups. The survey result showed that 63.8% of sample households were found to be food insecure. Binary logistic regression model was used to reveal the effect of different variables on household food security status. Out of seventeen explanatory variables entered to the model eight of them were significant up to 10% probability level. The age of household head and oxen ownership were related positively. Whereas family size, dependency ratio, cultivated land size, access to credit, insect and pest problem, and land rent out negatively at less than 10% probability level. Coping strategies commonly practiced by sample households in the study area were eating less preferred food, skipping of meal, borrow grains and cash from relatives, selling of livestock, reduce size and number of meal. The study recommends that proactive policy in family planning, strengthening credit support, incorporating coping strategy in the government regular programs, promoting land intensive and conservation agriculture should be integrated as food security efforts