Food insecurity and copping strategies: a perspective from Kersa district, East Hararghe Ethiopia

Abstract

This study was particularly conducted to measure food security status of farming households, to identify factors influencing rural households’ food insecurity status and to find out the coping strategies. Thus, 120 household heads were selected from three Peasant Associations in the district using probability to proportion size stratified random sampling technique. A survey was conducted to collect the primary data from sample respondents and supplemented by secondary data. A binary logistic regression model was fitted to analyze the potential variables affecting household food insecurity in the study area.  The model estimate correctly predicted (84%) of the sample cases, (88.9%) food secure and (96.4%) food insecure. On the other hand, sale of livestock, selling of firewood and charcoal, and seasonal migration, were found to be more frequently practiced copping strategies of the study districts. Finally, limiting population size and giving priority to gender mainstreaming, provision of water harvesting technologies, creating enabling economic and institutional environment were recommended.

Keywords: Food insecurity, copping strategies, Kersa distract, East Hararghe