DETERMINANTS OF HOUSEHOLD FOOD INSECURITY IN LAY GAYINT WOREDA, SOUTH GONDAR ZONE OF AMHARA REGION, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Ethiopia lies within one of the most food insecure regions in the world. Amhara region is
one of the largest regions in Ethiopia where nearly 50% of the woredas (districts), induding
Lay Gayint woreda, are identified as food insecure. There are no detailed studies done
using standard tools and methods to determine food security status of households and to
identify the determinants of food insecurity in Lay Gayint woreda. This study is aimed at
determining the food insecurity status of mral households and identify the determinants of
food insecurity in the woreda. Data were collected from 379 randomly selected households
of five kebeles located in three agro-ecological settings. Data were analyzed using Core
Food Security Module (CFSM), descriptive statistics and logistic regression. The CFSM
showed that ahout 85% of sampled respondents were food insecure while the logistic regression
result revealed six major determinants of household food insecurity: having larger
family size, being illiterate, having smaller size of cultivated land, being non-user of chemical
fertilizer, being non-user of improved seed and having smaller livestock holding. Results
indicated that development interventions aiming at increased income by increasing
land productivity from supply and use of fertilizer and improved seed, as well as educating
people on family planning will significantly contribute to the attainment of food security.