Role of different farming systems to assess households food security: A case study in Yamethin District, dry zone region of Myanmar

Mee Mee, Pilaiwan Prapruit, Ayut Nissapa

Abstract: Farming systems promoting crop production are important to match food security concerns. This research explores food security levels of different farming systems using the indicators of food availability, food access and food utilization. In Yamethin District, various households cultivated a combination of different crop of farming systems. Structured interviews were conducted with 282 farm households: monoculture farming system, multiple farming systems, and mixed farming system. The data were analyzed using weighted sum models. The assessment identified that the monoculture farming system had low food availability, high food access and moderate food utilization, while the multiple and mixed farming systems had moderate food availability, high food access and low food utilization. The study suggested that monoculture farm households should grow vegetables and build up crop exchanges to fulfill staple rice and increase food availability. Moreover, multiple and mixed farm households should allocate farm plots based on average farm land to hold high food security. Under adequate irrigation, 70% farm land for staple rice, 20% farm land for field crops and the rest (10%) for vegetables should be carried out from season to season. In rain-fed area, similar farm allocation should be performed during monsoon and short-season crops during post monsoon season.

Keywords: dry zone; farming system; food access; food availability; food utilization

Date published: 2020-02-26