Mideksa Fufa Jilito

Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships and Engagement in Improving Rural Households Food and Nutrition Security in the Context of Sustainable Development Goals in Eastern Ethiopia

Agriculture is integral to ensure adequate food supplies for the growing population and to improve nutrition. Hunger is on the rise. The number of undernourished people increased. The occurrence of undernourishment is high in Africa.  Achieving food security and improve nutrition in Ethiopia is one of the country’s greatest challenges. About one in five Ethiopians required food support during the 2015/16. The country faced the challenges of chronic food and nutrition insecurity which result in health problems and economic costs. Institutional performance and partnerships towards food production, nutrition sensitive agricultural productivity, policy options, coordination, and implementation are serious options for addressing food and nutrition insecurity. However, institutions created by the government affect the availability, accessibility, utilization, and stability dimensions of food security. Therefore, this study examines institutional performance and partnerships in promoting food and nutrition security in eastern part of Ethiopia. Specifically, it seeks to identify existing institutions working on food and nutrition security at micro, meso, and macro levels. It explores intervention strategies undertaken by identified institutions to tackle households’ food and nutrition insecurity. The study also aimed to measure food security status and dietary diversity at household level. Multi-stage sampling procedure will be used to select the respondents, which involves purposive selection of east and west Hararghe zones, east Ethiopia. The two zones are made up of more than 35 districts. Six districts (four districts from east Hararghe zone and two districts from west Hararghe zone) will be selected based on the severity of food insecurity in the areas. Then, 400 respondents will be selected using random sampling technique. The study will be used interview schedule to collect quantitative data. Structured questionnaires will be employed for sample respondents selected from various institutions working on food and nutrition security. Semi structured interview will be used for focus group and key informants discussants to generate qualitative data. Quantitative data will be analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, and appropriate econometric models. Food security of the households will be assessed using Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) developed by USAID while dietary diversity will be assessed using FAO dietary diversity questionnaire. Based on a 12-food group model, Dietary Diversity Score (DDS) will be created and categorized per the number of food groups consumed. Narrative type of analysis will be used to analyse qualitative data. The general expected result of the research is that food and nutrition security is strongly related with institutional performance and linkage. Result from this study also could help in formulating policies and interventional approach to address nutritional status, food access and utilization.

• 2015: Master of Science in Rural Development and Agricultural Extension (specialization-Rural Development), Haramaya University, Ethiopia
• 2010: Bachelor of Arts in Rural Development, Ambo University, Ethiopia

• December 2015 - Present: Lecturer and Researcher
• October 2017 – 2019: Undergraduate Program Coordinator
• November 2019 - September 2020: Head, Department of Rural Development and Agricultural Extension
• October 2010 – November 2015: Gender and Development Instructor at Agarfa Agricultural TVET College
• April 2013 - January 2015: Head, Registrar Office

• Jilito, M. F., Wedajo, D.Y., Feyisa, B.W., & Tuke, T.W. (2020). Groundwater utilization practices for irrigation systems in east Hararghe zone, Ethiopia. Cogent Food & Agriculture, 6(1).1850200.  https://doi.org/10.1080/23311932.2020.1850200.
• Jilito, M.F., & Wedajo, D.Y. (2020). Trends and Challenges in Improved Agricultural Inputs Use by Smallholder Farmers in Ethiopia: A Review. Turkish Journal of Agriculture–Food Science and Technology, 8(11), 2286-2292. https://doi.org/10.24925/turjaf.v8i11.2286-2292.2988.
• Wedajo, D. Y., & Jilito, M. F. (2020). Innovating social connectedness for agricultural innovations in eastern Ethiopia. Cogent Food & Agriculture, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311932.2020.1809943.
• Wedajo, D.Y., Belissa, T.K., & Jilito, M. F. (2019). Harnessing indigenous social institutions for technology adoption: ‘Afoosha’ Society of Ethiopia. Development Studies Research, 6(1), 152-162. https://doi.org/10.1080/21665095.2019.1678187.
• Jilito, M., & Wedajo, D. (2019). Institutional Innovations and Integrations Towards Sustainable Development Goals: Evidence from Ethnographic Research in South Eastern Ethiopia. International Journal of Agricultural Science, Research and Technology in Extension and Education Systems, 9(3), 131-140. http://ijasrt.iau-shoushtar.ac.ir/.
• Jilito, M. F., Okoyo, E. N., & Moges, D.K. (2018). An Empirical study of livelihoods diversification strategies among rural farm households in Agarfa District, Ethiopia. Journal of Rural Development, 37(4), 741-766. 10.25175//jrd/2018/v37/i4/114763.

mideksafufa[at]gmail[dot]com