Abstract

Meles Tulu Diba, Meseret I. Ashenafi and Miruts Million Bikila

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.