Food Insecurity and Coping Strategies in Rural Areas of Nepal : A Case Study of Dailekh District in Mid Western Development Region

Abstract

The main purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationship between household's resource endowment and food security status. It also aims to find out the household's coping strategies when they face food deficit condition. The analysis indicates that the distribution of resources is highly favorable to higher caste and has direct impact on household food security condition. It also shows that the depth and the severity of food insecurity vary according to socio-economic characteristics of household. Both depth and severity are higher in occupational caste, small landholders, fewer livestock holders, laborers, and households with less consumption expenses. To become more food secure and in response to food deficit condition, households adopted both ex ante and ex post coping strategies, such as casual laboring, occupational work, selling of agricultural and livestock products, collection of wild foods, borrowing food or money, use of savings, seasonal migration to the places outside the district, within the country or in foreign countries, small business, use of pension, and so on.