Determinants of food security among rural households in Majang Zone, Gambella Region, South-western Ethiopia

Abstract

Attaining food security is a basic human right and a priority development agenda, particularly for the least developed countries, although the challenge remains tough. The research was designed to analyze the food security status of households and its determinant factors in the Majang Zone. A multistage sampling was employed to select the 320 households. The study employed a mixed design that uses questionnaires, focus group discussions (FGDs), and key informant interviews ( KIIs) to generate data. The data were analyzed using descriptive and binary logistic regression. The findings indicated that nearly 53% and 47% of the households were food secure and insecure, respectively. Beehives (p<0.05), formal education (p<0.01), landholding (p<0.01), oxen ploughing (p<0.05), livestock ownership (p<0.05), farm income (p<0.01), extension support (p<0.01), and family size (p<0.10) significantly and positively determine the household food security status, whereas age (p<0.05) and pesticide use (p<0.05) have negative relationships. A unit increase in the above factors is expected to improve food security by a fold of 0.1014, 2.138, 1.489, 2.237, 0.9674, 0.0001, 2.469, and 0.7226, respectively. Similarly, a unit increase in the age of households and pesticide use tend to reduce food security status by 0.1091 and 2.071 units, respectively. The limitations of improved agricultural technologies such as improved inputs for crop and livestock; small irrigation schemes; institutions including credit services and cooperatives; and infrastructural developments, namely roads, niche markets, and rural electrification, coupled with undiversified income sources, call for holistic and sustainable  strategic intervention from concerned bodies of the government and stakeholders at all levels to curb food insecurity challenges.