Proceedings: 1st International Conference on Food and Agricultural Economics: DETERMINANTS OF HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY OF SMALL SCALE FARMERS IN GEDARIF AND RAHAD LOCALITIES "HIGH AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION AREA" OF EASTERN SUDAN

The study aims to assess the determinants of small sca le farmer household food security among Gedarif and Rahad localities "high agriculture production area" from eastern Sudan. Data used relies heavily on the results of sample survey of 336 households as of small scale farmers (agricultural land holding 20 feddans and less) in 8 villages collected during 2014. Analytical techniques employed included descriptive statistics, and multinomial regression model to examine the determinants of food security among the households surveyed. The study has shown that agriculture land was significantly related to the probability of a household being food secure in favour of mildly household food insecure access decreases by the factor (-1.464). Credit access was found to be significant positively related to food security in the study area. Farmers’ access to credit will decrease the mildly and moderately household food insecurity access by the factors (-2.194 and -2.092), respectively, allow households to have opportunity to receive credit would build their capacity to produce more through the use of improved technologies. However, a household using technology was positively (1.347) and significantly related to the probability of a household being food secure, so increase productivity through using of technology it is significant policy that might increase food security in the area of study. Thus, land and credit access; and technology using in agriculture are most factors determining household food security in the study area, consistent with the fact that Gedarif state comprised high agriculture area, where the agriculture activities engaged more than 80% of population in rural area get hold of their income and hence manipulate household food security. In the light of the findings from the study, it is recommended that policy makers should increase efforts to improve access of agriculture land and credit by small scale farmers to improve the household food security situation in rural areas. Policies that will make microcredit from government and nongovernmental agencies accessible to rural farmers to improve household food security in Gedarif State. Policy makers should make high efforts in agriculture and livestock sector to create more income and food diversification such as vegetables, fishes and fruits to decrees food insecurity, therefore using technology, extension, training are also be recommended. Policy makers should target the food insecure household groups to combat directly food insecurity and reduces their vulnerability, especially through fitting policies targeting the agricultural sector where most of the populations engaged by means of their livelihoods