Determinants of Food Security Status of Agricultural Households: An Empirical Investigation from Kuttanad Wetland System in Kerala, India

Abstract

Recent debates highlight that agriculture-based strategies can enhance food security. Thus, this article examined the incidence and determinants of food security of agricultural households in Kuttanad, a wetland region situated in the southern part of the state of Kerala in India. Towards this objective, we have collected food consumption data from households and converted them into an equivalent amount of calorie intake. Further, we define food security in terms of calorie adequacy using the minimum calorie norm of 1,800 kcal suggested by the Food and Agricultural Organization for India. Our empirical results reveal that 37% of the sample households are food insecure. The incidence of food insecurity is higher among poor sections like labour households, Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), and Scheduled Castes families. Results of Probit regression show that below poverty line and AAY families are less likely to be food secure than above poverty line families. The purchase of cereals from the Public Distribution System is found to have a positive impact on the food security status of the households. Both farm income and non-farm income positively influence the probability of food security. The study concludes that there are impediments to realizing the linkages between agriculture and food security. JEL Classification: Q10, Q18, I32, C25