Letters in Economic Research Updates
Assessment of Avocado Producers Food Security Status-In Case of Wolaita and Kembata Tembaro Zones
Abstract
Abera Abebe, Berhanu Kuma and Lemma Zemedu
Background At the worldwide, regional, national, and local levels, there’s a direct correlation between food insecurity and poverty. The household’s security situation is at its most terrible level in rural Ethiopia. Due to various circumstances, ensuring food security in Ethiopia is becoming a significant concern. Therefore, the study aimed to identify determinants of food security status of avocado fruits producers in the study area.
Methods A simple random sampling technique was employed to take 385 sample household of avocado fruits producers. Both quantitative and qualitative types of data were collected. Primary data were collected through interview schedule, focus group discussion, and key informant interviews. Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) was used to assess the household’s food security status and a binary logit model was employed to identify the determinants of food security status of a household.
Results The result of the study exposed that 147(38.2%) and 238 (61.8%) of the households of the study area were food secure and insecure, use of household food insecurity access scale measurement. Access to extension service, sex of the house hold head, number of extension agent contact per months and quantity of avocado fruits produced were significant positively at 1% whereas family size and age were significant negatively at 1%.
Conclusion Hence given that the majority of households experienced food insecurity, it is important to choose the right stakeholders to encourage household participation in various income-generating activities and to provide a timely and sufficient supply of agricultural technologies in order to improve the current food security situation.