Assessment of Agricultural Production and Food Security Situation at Household Level: the case of Angolela Tera Woreda of Amhara Region
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Date
2007-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study is about the assessment of food security situation in An90lela Tero
Woreda and it identifies the main causes and COPpin9 mechanisms of food insecurity
problems. In this study both primary and secondory data collection methods were
employed to collect data. To ensure the representativeness of the sample
population the area was stratified on the basis of agro-ecological differences (dego
and weina de9a). Household survey and key informants 9rouP discussions were
carried out on the selected sample KAs in each stratum. Direct field observation was
also employed to check and verify the collected data. The populations of An90lelana Tera woreda are mainly subsistent farmers who
heavily rely on the main rainy season for their annual crop and livestock production.
Farmin9 in the wareda is mainly practiced traditionally and prone to natura/,
technol09ical and socia-economic constraints. As a resu lt , the a9ricultural
production in the woreda is very low. In order 10 aU9ment the low income obtained
from the a9riculture sector some community members en90ged in non-form
activities such as doily laborin9 and petty trading. However, lock of access to nonĀ·
form job opportunities, shortage of start up capital, and lock of knowledge and
workin9 skills have constrained many not to expand non-{arm job opportunities.Due to these reasons a Si9nificant proportion of community members unable to
meet their food requirement and faced on average four months of food scarcity
period yearly. To manage this situation the community members employed various
COPpin9 mechanisms such as selling of trees and other assets such as livestock,
barrowin9 fram neighbors and relatives , rentin9 of form land and reducin9 the
quantity and consuming of cheap and nutritionally poorer food such as Avena Sativa
(sinnar). Some of these mechanisms will likely have a ne9ative long term impact on
the mental and physical development of children. Hence, the 90vernment and other development organizations should build up on the
already existin9 copping mechanisms such as stron9 social ties and net work and
should devise appropriate strate9ies that enable the community to come out of food
insecurity situation. This calls for joint research and joint action by all stakeholders.
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Keywords
food security situation