Identifying the Extent of Household Food Poverty Status in Tiro Afata and Dedo Districts of Jimma Zone, Oromia Regional National State, Ethiopia

Abstract

This study predicts an empirical study aimed at investigating household food insecurity in the study area using household data. Data for the study was generated from a survey of the 150 randomly selected farm households in Dedo and Tiro Afata districts of Jimma administrative zone of Oromiya Regional State in Ethiopia from May up to October 2007 through critical observation, individual interviews and semi-structured questionnaires.

In the study of household socio-demographic structure, we incorporated twelve independent variables (namely age, education, family size, plots of land operated, livestock owned and number of oxen, total income and total expenditure, percept income, access to market and transportation) to distinguish whether these variables affect household food in security status or not only six of the twelve variables have significant relationship with household food security status. The binary logit model results make known that among twelve explanatory variables included in the model, six were found to be significant, and all exhibited the expected signs.. These significant variables, that affected food insecurity include:  family size, number of plots operated, household income and expenditure, per capita income and distance to transport. The evidences suggest that the study area is highly food insecure and survival mechanisms are traditional. Along with food availability and entitlement, attitudinal variables also influence food insecurity.

To estimate the extent of food insecurity FGT index was used. Results of this study have shown that the incidence of inability  to meet the minimum subsistence requirement food insecure without hunger, food insecure with moderate hunger, food insecure with severe hunger were found to be 16.7 percent, 28.7 percent and 26.4 percent , respectively. To substantiate its claim the thesis has tried to disclose a better substantial approach that food security production is directly related to the ability of land quality to support the population of the country. My final conclusion is that efforts should be made to improve different socioeconomic factors in general and demographic factors in particular to reduce rural poverty and enhance food security in study districts. The study findings suggest that Policy measures directed towards the provision of better family planning should be given adequate attention and priority by the Government in addition to improved access to education, new technology facility and agricultural extension services by rural households.