Status of household food security, its determinants, and coping strategies in the Humbo district, Southern Ethiopia

Food security is a critical issue and a top priority in the policies of developing countries. The objectives of this study were to analyze the status of rural food security, determine the factors affecting rural family food security, and identify the coping methods used by rural households in the study area. A cross-sectional study design was used in the present study. The study was conducted from March to June 2021. Overall, 143 households from three rural Kebeles were chosen using a stratified random sampling technique. Both primary and secondary data were gathered. Descriptive statistics and economic regression models were used. To identify the factors that influence the food security of rural households, a binary logistic regression model was developed. Less than a third of the households (29.4%) were found to be food secure, while households (70.6%) were found to be food insecure. The estimated logistic model outcome on household food security confirmed the size of the family and drought occurrence affected negatively in 1% and 5% probability levels, respectively, while education, size of farm land, TLU, total annual cereal yields, on-farm income, off-farm income, use of agricultural input, and use of credits affect positively. Expect the use of credit (5%), all are statically significant at the 1% probability level. Withdrawing children from school (1st) and Beginning (2nd) food secure/insecure households, respectively, practices are the main coping methods used by the household. According to the results of the model, approximately ten explanatory variables had a statistically significant relationship with household food security. Food insecure household heads are more familiar with the coping strategy than food secured. Households in the study area were relying on preferred foods to deal with food scarcity and starvation. The government agent should be households treated differently depending on the issue raised.