Assessment of Households Food Security Situation in Ethiopia: An Empirical Synthesis

Abstract

This article synthesized households food security situation, its determinants and coping mechanism against food insecurity in Ethiopia. Accordingly, empirical findings asserted that the incidence of food insecurity is high in the country. But, the incidence of food insecurity was severe in western, some parts of southern and drought prone areas of the country. Furthermore, empirical studies confirmed that having access to different kinds of livelihood assets (such as human capital, social capital, physical capital, financial capital and natural capital) as well as different institutional factors and policies more likely to improve households food security. Moreover, literatures argued that along with the role of government households adopted different coping mechanisms to reduce the prevalence of food insecurity. To cope up with the food insecurity situation households adopted selling asset (livestock), reducing frequency and quality of meal,  buying food grains, engaging in off-farm and non-farm activities, borrowing money or grains from different sources, etc. as  their main coping mechanisms. Therefore, to improve the food security situation future policy should focus on investment strategies that promote households access to different kinds of livelihood assets to eradicate food insecurity.

Keywords: Food security, Food insecurity, coping mechanisms, Ethiopia