Farmers’ perceptions of land degradation and determinants of food security at Bilate Watershed, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Land degradation reduces the productivity of land which poses a serious threat on food
security status of households. The present study was designed with objectives of examining
farmers’ perceptions of land degradation, assessing the food security status and identifying its
determinants at middle catchment of Bilate watershed, in Southern Ethiopia. A two- stage
random sampling technique was employed to select 130 sample households. Using
Household Core Food Security Module (HCFSM), about 73% and 27% of the sample
households were food insecure and secure, respectively. The extent of food insecurity ranges
from moderate (45% of the cases) to very severe (18% of the cases). Econometric results
indicate that variables such as gender, family size, education, adoption of soil conservation
techniques, livestock ownership, farm income and land degradation perception index were
found to be significant factors influencing household food security status. The findings
suggested that policy makers and development practitioners must give due attention and
high priority in improving farmers’ perception level that enables them to maintain land
productivity through conserving both their farm and communal land that can have significant
contribution in improving food security status of households.