The Link between Food Security and Land Degradation: Analysis of Determinant in Drought Prone Areas of North East Ethiopia. A case of , Sekota Woreda
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Date
2008-08
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Land degradation, which is mainly exhibited by soil erosion and nutrient depletion, reduces
the productive capacity of the land which poses a serious threat on food security status of
households, So far, various studies attempted 10 study the causes of land degradation and low
productivity independently, and lillie is done on exploring the linkage between food security
and land degradation. Thus, the present study was envisaged with objectives of exploring the
linkages between food security and land degradation and identifying determinants of food
security and coping strategies at household level in Sekota woreda, A two- stage sampling
procedure was employed to select 140 sample households from six sample kebeles, The basic data usedjor this study were co/lectedjrom sample households, Jocus group parilclpants and
key informants through structured questionnaire and semi-structured checklist, respectively,
The survey result revealed that out of the total 138 sample households, 95 households
(68,8%) were found food insecure while the remaining 43 households (31.2%) were food
secure, Descriptive statistics and binmy logit ;'egression model were ell/ployed for analysis,
in line with the stated objectives, The results of the study exposed that land degradation, mainly in the form of soil erosion, is
. the third main cause of food shortage next to shortage of farmland and rainfall variability al
household level. In addition, the study results confirmed, thaI the pervasive land degradation
is Ihe prill/my cause of decline in agricultural production and subsequent food shortage at
household level. This situation is further exacerbated by 'the rugged topography, recurrent
drought and ever increasing population growth in the sludy area, Results of Ihe study also idenlified various socio-economic and bio-physical faclors Ihal
influence the food security status of households, The binary logit model resulls disclosed IhCII
among 19 explanatOlY variables included inlhe model, 8 werefound to have significant effect
on household food security status, These significant variables include age of household head,
dependency ratio, size of cultivaled land, tolal number of livestock owned (excluding
. oxen),number of oxen, manure application, land quality index and farmer's knowledge on the
effect of land degradation on food security. At last, the study concluded that policy makers
and development agents must give allention and high priority in improving the economic
access of the resource poor small scale farm households, which enable them to maintain land
productivity and thus improve food security stalus, Moreover, due allention and policy
consideralion has to be given by government to . those significant variables which have a
potenlial impact in determining household jood security status in Ihe study area,
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Keywords
Food Security and Land Degradation