FoodSecurity Intervention Packages Versus Household Food Security Status in Central Gondar Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

Food security becomes a critical challenge for sub Saharan countries and the problem has remained to be a big challenge in Ethiopia in the current times. A number of interventions were provided despite the long term impact of food security persists. Different factors are accounted for this challenge and the major factor is the preference of food security interventions for rural households since all the interventions are not in line with the preferences of rural households. Preference for food security interventions can be affected by demographic, institutional and socio economic contexts. The subjective ranking of rural households’food security interventions and factors influencing their preferences are determined using multinomial logistic regression model. The study was based on a survey conducted in North Gondar zone.Semi-structured interviewwere conducted with 200 randomly selected rural household heads. The study suggests that access to information, fertility decline, shortage ofcultivable land, participation in an intervention, technical support problem, tropical livestock unit and access to information are determinant factors for rural households to decide among food security interventions. Rural households’ preferences for food security interventions were fall into four major categories. The study suggests that material support, agricultural input, skill training and financial support are highly prioritized food security interventions of rural households. Multinomial logistic regression analysis of the factors influencing preferences revealed that rural household’s specific demographic and socio-economic circumstances affects subjective ranking of food security interventions. It is also shown that preferences for some interventions are complimentary and need to be addressed simultaneously. Recognition and understanding of these factors and the acceptability of food security interventions for micro level implementation will have significant contribution to improve macro level policy formulation.