NGO Approaches to Sustainable Food Security: The Case of YFSSIFS Project in Konso Wpreda, Ethiopia

The paper explores the contribution of YFSSIFSP towards the households and community food security of Jarso Kebele. This community has lived over two decades under food shortage stress. The main causes for crop failure were lack of (and erratic) rainfall, soil degradation and crop infestation. The conventional approach to agriculture practised in the area for several years has failed to bring adequate improvement in crop production (supply side). I also argued the demand side elements which were not less important for ensuring household food security. The YFSSIFSP has embarked to reverse the ongoing food insecurity risks through the realisation of its major components like spate irrigation development and agricultural extension services. Six modern spate irrigation schemes were successfully constructed during the two phases of project intervention (2001-2005 and 2006-2008/.The project has adopted ‘Community first, project second’ intervention approach which ensured the participation of the community and proactive intervention over food insecurity. Besides successful construction of the spate irrigation schemes, input provision and training of farmers fostered the diversification of household income bases. The intervention of the project enhanced the food production for 2,200 households which are able to produce at least sufficient food for home consumption. The paper concludes that the project has enabled households to secure food from own production. Nonetheless, the outputs of the project in terms of sustainability of food security are at their rudimentary stage. More is required to step the success forward and ensure the guarantee for not fall back.