International Journal of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development

ISSN 2756-3642

International Journal of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development ISSN 3254-5428 Vol. 3 (3), pp. 167-173, March, 2016. © International Scholars Journals 

Full Length Research Paper

Assessment of food security status and factors influencing food security in Hawi Guddina district, Ethiopia

Meles Tulu Diba1*, Meseret I. Ashenafi2 and Miruts Million Bikila3

1Mechara Agricultural Research Center, Mechara, Ethiopia.

2Schools of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Management, Haramaya University, Ethiopia.

3Departments of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, Haramaya University, Ethiopia.

E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 15 February, 2016

Abstract

The study was designed to assess the food security status and determine factors influencing food security in Hawi Guddina district. Multi-stage random sampling technique was employed to select sample households randomly from six Kebeles by using probability proportional to size. Both primary and secondary data were used. Data were collected primarily through interview schedule from 140 households. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Household calorie acquisition was analyzed to measure household food security status. Out of 140 households, 32.9 and 67.1% were food secure and insecure, respectively. The model was fitted with fifteen variables, of which five were found to be significant. Family size, livestock ownership, distance from market center, access to nonfarm activity and cash crop production were significant variables. The econometric result revealed that the probability of being food secure increase with high livestock ownership, access to nonfarm activity and producing cash crops while large family size and far from market center reduce the probability of household to be food secure. The study findings recommends, promotion of family planning program, develop infrastructure, provision of nonfarm activity and agricultural input and training for community should be considered to improve household’s food security.

Key words: Binary Logit model, determinants of food security, farm household.