The aims of this in-depth emergency food security assessment (EFSA) were to: (i) estimate the proportion of the rural food insecure in the five district of Djibouti; (ii) further substantiate the main causes of food insecurity; and (iii) provide broad, feasible and appropriate recommendations on response options for improving food security.
A two-stage random sampling strategy was used to select 105 clusters ( within 89 villages) and 1260 households to provide statistical confidence for the five rural districts (Arta, Dhikil, Tadjourah, Obok, Ali Sabieh) and the three main livelihood zones (Northwest, Southwest and Central Zone). After data cleaning, a total of 1,251 households were kept. Data collection was conducted in May 2011, at the start of the summer and lean season.
Overall, the rural food security situation has remained very critical and similar to 2010. The profiling of food security was done using the same approach as in 2009 and 2010. It is based on a cluster analysis of the following indicators: 1) a seven days recall on food consumption, 2) degree of reliance on own production as a source of food and 3) degree of reliance on food gift as a source of food, 4) total monthly expenditure per capita (as a proxy of income) and 5) asset holding as an indicator of material wealth.