Effect of Food Insecurity On Households Welfare. A Case Study of Panyangara Sub-County, Kotido District, Karamoja North Eastern Uganda

ABSTRACT The study examines the effects of food insecurity on households Welfare in Karamoj a, Panyangara sub-county, Kotido district. The study was guided by the following objectives; to assess whether food insecurity leads to malnutrition, to examine whether food insecurity leads to persistent poverty, to find out whether food insecurity leads to cattle rustling, to know whether food insecurity leads to inflation. The researcher used primary and secondary sources of information. With primary source of information, respondents were interviewed and the data was also collected through observation method while with secondary source of information, the data was collected through review of the available literature. The findings revealed that food insecurity affects the population in the way that, it leads to malnutrition, persistent poverty, cattle rustling and inflation. Basing on the findings, it was evident that substantial number of households could hardly afford three meals a day thus hindering the socio-economic development of people in Panyangara subcounty and Kotido district as a whole. The researcher therefore recommends that; Food security should be made a priority for civil society organization projects. Food security campaigns in the area should therefore focus on helping the communities produce their own food through introduction of drought resistant, quick harvesting crops and sensitizing them against wastage of food during bumper harvests as well as providing proper post-harvest handling systems. This should go hand in hand with the provision of food in the short- run that will ensure that people do not eat the seeds as reported by some respondents and teaching them to effectively utilize their land without causing environmental destruction and eroding soil erosion. The government should also encourage the people affected by food insecurity to start up income generating activities that can raise money for food, for instance; grocery, tailoring, baking! food service, hair salon, brick making, crop! animal husbandry such as free range poultry keeping.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION

APPROVAL ii

DEDICATION iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS v

LIST OF TABLES Viii

LIST OF ACRONYMS ix

ABSTRACT xi

CHAPTER ONE 1

BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY 1

1 .0 Introduction 1

1.1. Background of the study problem 1

1.2. Problem Statement 4

1.3. Purpose of the study 4

1.4 Research objectives 4

1.4.1 Specific objectives 4

1.5. Research Questions 4

1.6. Scope of the study 5

1.61. Content scope 5

1.6.2. Geographical scope 5

1.6.3. Time Scope 5

1.7. Significance of the study 5

1.8. Conceptual framework 7

CHAPTER TWO 8

LITERATURE REVIEW 8

2.0. Introduction 8

2.1. Causes of food insecurity 8

2.2. Effects of food insecurity on households Income 11

V

2.2.1. Malnutrition .11

2.2.2. Persistent poverty 14

2.2 3. Cattle rustling 17

2.2.4. Inflation 18

2.3. Efforts made by the community, government and aid agencies to mitigate food insecurity. 21

CHAPTER THREE 24

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 24

3.0 Introduction 24

3.1. Research design 24

3.2. Study area and population 24

3.3. Data presentation 25

3.4. Sampling design 25

3.5. Data source methods 25

3.5.1. Frimaiy data: 26

3.5.2. Secondaiy data: 26

3.6. Data collection instruments! methods 26

3.6.1 Document reviews 26

3.6.2, Questionnaire 26

3.6.3. Observation 26

3.6.4. Interview 27

3.7. Data analysis 27

3.8. Sampling Procedure 27

3.9. Limitations of the study 28

3.10. Ethical considerations 28

CHAPTER FOUR 30

PRESENTATION, INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS OF THE FINDINGS 30

4.0 Introduction 30

4.1. Demographic characteristics 30

vi

CHAPTER FIVE .41

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 41

5.0 Introduction 41

5.1 Summary 41

5.2 Conclusions 42

5.3 Recommendations 42

REFERENCES 45

APPENDICES 46

APPENDIX I A): QUESTIONNAIRE FORM 46

APPENDIX I B): INTERVIEW FORM 49

APPENDIX II: RESEARCH TIME SCHEDULE 50

APPENDIX III: ESTIMATED BUDGET 51