THE CAUSE OF RURAL HOUSEHOLD FOOD INSECURITY AND COPING STRATEGY. IN THE CASE OF EBINAT DISTRICT, SOUTH GONDAR ZONE; AMHARA REGIONAL STATE,ETHIOPIA

Abstract

A clear understanding of the major causes of food insecurity helps policy makers and planners formulate new policies that enhance food security. Therefore, this study was conducted to measure food security/insecurity status of households, to identify factors influencing farm households’ food security and coping strategies and policy options. In order to achieve these objectives biophysical; demographic and socio-economic data were collected from 121 randomly selected households in Ebinat District of South Gondar Zone Amhara Regional State. A purposive, cluster and random sampling procedure was used to select 3 PAs. A survey was conducted to collect the primary data from sample respondents. Supplementary, secondary data were collected from various sources. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics like mean, standard deviation, and percentage. The survey result shows that about 73.8% of sample farmers were food insecure and 26.2 were Food secure. From the study result; family size, level of education,size of land holding fertility of land, size of Livestock holding,number of oxen, Credit access, access to improved technology, access to irrigation, and Income of the household are identified as cause of household food insecurity,whereas age of household, and marital status, had no significant influence on food security level of the HH. From the coping strategies implemented in the study area, income from animal sale, off-farm income, reducing size and number of meals, sale of firewood and charcoal, are widely practiced coping strategy in the area. Following the findings’a number of useful recommendations were made based on the findings of the study”.