Women as Landowners: Implications for Household Food Security in Ethiopia

The study explores whether female landownership (sole or joint) alters the self-reported household food security in Ethiopia following decades of implementing land reform. The distinction among various types of landownership has received limited attention in the literature. The study uses data from households that own agricultural plots of land from the Ethiopian Socioeconomic Panel Survey (ESPS 2021/22) and uses the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) as the indicator of household food security status. Using multivariable logistic regression models, we find that female landownership, especially joint ownership of female with other male members, is associated with an increase in the likelihood of being food-secure. Female landownership was associated with a 7.3% reduction in food insecurity and a 5.5% reduction in severe food insecurity. Female landownership through joint ownership was associated with a 7.4% reduction in food insecurity and a 7% reduction in severe food insecurity. Regional differences in household food insecurity risk have been identified as a significant factor related to food insecurity. Land allocation programs granting joint female and male landownership offer a viable approach to sustain the family, reducing the food insecurity risk.