Determinants of Food Security in the Vulnerable Areas of Ethiopia: The Case of Ahferom Wereda in Region Tigray

Araya, Alem (2005) Determinants of Food Security in the Vulnerable Areas of Ethiopia: The Case of Ahferom Wereda in Region Tigray. Masters thesis, Addis Ababa University.

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Abstract

The drought-prone areas of the country are largely areas of chronic food insecurity. Production-based entitlements supplemented by creation of mechanisms of food access is considered as the major instruments of attaining food security in the rural development and food security strategies of the country. To this effect the diffusion of modern inputs and expansion of agricultural services and soil and water conservation activities are relatively widely employed. Moreover, the enhancement of alternative employment opportunities is emphasized. Nevertheless, there is permanently a low food production capacity and chronic food insecurity in such areas. This study aims at examining and estimating the determinants of food security perceptions and own food production capacities of sample households from Ahferom Wereda of Region Tigray. The households are asked about the number of months they can cover their annual need from their yearly income/production. They are also requested about the amount of crop they produced in two consecutive years of 2001 and 2002 which is also changed into its calories equivalent and the number of months it can meet the minimum calories requirement of the household is computed. Various socio-economic, technological and environmental factors are identified and their effects on yield, perception of food security status and own food production of the households have been analyzed. For this, cross tabulation of means and percentages are employed. Finally, two linear econometric models are formulated to statistically estimate the outcomes. The findings of the study indicate that the households have low production capacity and food security status due to various socio-economic and environmental factors. The average month that households perceived that their income/production can sufficiently cover their requirement is 5.23 months. The computed own produced food was able to cover 3.81 and 3.48 months of their minimum calories requirement respectively in 2001 and 2002. Both food security perception and food production are inversely related with family size, dependency ratio, female head of household, past famine experience, rainfall shortages, terrace construction, and getting access to loan. Both are also positively affected by factors such as farm assets, male head of households, involvement in off-farm activities and literacy of head of household. Some factors such as access to extension service, being in highland, employment in non-farm and food for work have inverse relation with food production but direct relation with that of food security perception. Moreover, application of improved seeds could not be helpful in food production while application of fertilizer and either chemical are positive, though insignificantly. Generally, the technologies and agricultural services could not be helpful in increasing productivity due to largely the agro-ecological problems and illiteracy of the peasant. Especially, terracing, access to loan and extension service particularly to the illiterate are associated with lower yields and food production capacity. The literate is relatively in a better position of getting an advantage from extension service, getting relatively higher yields, using employment opportunities and food security perceptions.

Item Type: Thesis (Masters)
Subjects: H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
H Social Sciences > HM Sociology
H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform
Divisions: Africana
Depositing User: Selom Ghislain
Date Deposited: 26 Jun 2018 08:08
Last Modified: 26 Jun 2018 08:08
URI: http://thesisbank.jhia.ac.ke/id/eprint/4582

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