Effect of Enset Production on Food and Nutrition Security in Densely Populated Communities of Wolaita and Kembata Zones in South and Central Ethiopia

Abstract

Enset cultivation is uniquely positioned as the major strategic crop capable of addressing food availability, cess and stability challenges among the densely populated commodity-producing communities in the Wolaita and Kembata zones. Celebrated for its climate resilience, adaptability, high productivity, cost-effectiveness, and social importance, Enset emerges as a crucial solution for enhancing daily energy intake among producers. This study, therefore, seeks to examine the causal relationship between the amount of Enset harvested and the food and nutritional security of farmers in Southern and Central Ethiopia. Data were gathered from 374 households across the targeted zones through a structured survey. To assess causal effect of Enset production on food and nutrition security, the study employed the Generalized Propensity Score (GPS) method using a multilevel treatment framework. Household calorie intake served as a proxy indicator for food and nutrition security, while the quantity of Enset harvested over the past year represented the level of Enset production. The findings reveal that smallholder farmers engaged in an optimal lower level of Enset harvesting for food experienced a significant increase in their daily energy intake. The regression adjustment results further confirmed that enabling smallholder farmers to diversify their sources of consumption, including both market purchases and their own production, enhances food and nutrition security. This emphasizes the importance of Enset cultivation to improve and balance household energy consumption in Southern Ethiopia. The study’s findings underscore the importance of maintaining optimal lower levels of Enset harvesting as a sustainable approach to improving food and nutrition security among farming communities in the commodity-producing regions. Additionally, the study revealed that a higher number of Enset harvests does not necessarily lead to increased consumption of Enset-based food items. Instead, it suggests that some of the harvest is allocated to other household needs, highlighting the need to integrate the Enset food system with other food crops for more comprehensive food and nutrition security.