The status of food insecurity at the household level in the North-Eastern highlands of Ethiopia
Abstract The concept of food insecurity is multidimensional, posing challenges not only in its complex operationalization but also in determining who is considered food secure and who is not. This study aimed to assess the degree of food insecurity among households in the North-Eastern Highlands of...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Springer
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Discover Food |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s44187-025-00507-2 |
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| Summary: | Abstract The concept of food insecurity is multidimensional, posing challenges not only in its complex operationalization but also in determining who is considered food secure and who is not. This study aimed to assess the degree of food insecurity among households in the North-Eastern Highlands of Ethiopia. We selected 382 respondents, 17 key informants, and focus group discussants, employing both probability and non-probability sampling methods. The food security index was developed using the Consolidated Approach for Reporting Indicators (CARI) model, which incorporates Food Consumption Score, Food Energy Shortfall, Livelihood Asset Depletion, and Food Expenditure Share indicators. The analysis complemented with descriptive statistics. Results from the CARI analysis revealed that 41.1% of households were food secure, while 29.2% were severely food insecure, 20.4% moderately food insecure, and 9.3% marginally food secure. Overall, 49.6% of households experienced food insecurity, whereas 50.4% were food secure. Food insecurity was more prevalent in female-headed households (53.5%) compared to male-headed households (47.8%). Additionally, the highest food insecurity rates were observed in the Belg Livelihood Zone (LHZ) at 78%, followed by the Chefa Valley (CHV) LHZ at 58%. In contrast, the Meher LHZ had the highest food security rate at 75.6%, followed by SWS LHZ at 60.5%. These findings indicate that food insecurity is a widespread concern within the study area, particularly affecting households in the Belg and Chefa Valley LHZs as well as female-headed households. Therefore, policymakers and concerned development partners should prioritize addressing this issue and take more decisive actions to alleviate it. |
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| ISSN: | 2731-4286 |