Household level food insecurity assessment: Evidence from panel data, Ethiopia

Ethiopia is one of the fastest growing economies and with the top 10 highest population growth, which is among the major resources that determine the dynamics of the welfare of the society. This study assesses the prevalence of food insecurity and the major household level determinants of food insecurity at the national level and ranks the coping strategies households use. Longitudinal data of over 5000 households is analyzed using logit model. Anthropometric indicators generally show an improvement over time, though malnutrition is still one of the highest in the world. Child nutritional status in rural areas is worse compared to urban areas. Also, it appears that a higher percentage of boys suffer from malnutrition than girls. The result of logistic regression revealed that average years of schooling of members of the household, proximity to service centers, assets and availability of credit services positively affect household food security, whereas dependency ratio and shocks increase the odds of a household to be food insecured. Households choose to reduce the variety of food eaten as a primary strategy to reduce the impacts of food insecurity. Continuous investment in education and rural development could help improve the household food insecurity.