Assessing the unfolding food crisis in rural South Wollo, Ethiopia: severity through HFIAS and food consumption scores

Ethiopia is currently in a severe food crisis, with conflict, drought, high living costs, and natural disasters leading to widespread acute food insecurity. This study analyzes the extent and characteristics of rural household food insecurity in the Southwest Districts of South Wollo, Ethiopia, where recurrent shocks and livelihood instability continue to undermine food access and utilization. Using primary data from 366 randomly selected households, food security status was assessed through two internationally recognized indicators: the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) and the Food Consumption Score (FCS). The results reveal a severe food insecurity situation: 51.09% of households are classified as severely food insecure under HFIAS, while only 14.48%% is food secure. Similarly, the FCS indicates that 57.11% of households fall within poor or borderline food consumption categories. Food insecurity patterns vary across districts and household characteristics, particularly education level and sex of household head, with Legambo district, uneducated households, and female-headed households exhibiting the highest vulnerability. The findings demonstrate that food insecurity in the study area is driven largely by limited access to services, weak livelihood diversification, and structural socioeconomic constraints. The study highlights the need for geographically targeted and socially differentiated interventions to address chronic food insecurity and enhance rural household wellbeing in the region.