A structural equation model of food security promotion among rice-farming households in Nakhon Nayok Province, Thailand

Abstract

Results revealed that the highest level of food security dimension among rice farming households was 'food accessibility' and 'food availability,' followed by 'food utilization and safety,' and 'food stability', respectively. Regarding food security promotion among rice-farming households, the highest level was 'intra-household understanding related to household food security', followed by 'having a supplementary occupation', 'enhancing social support', and 'self-reliance'. The regression analysis using the stepwise method revealed that off-farm income had a positive effect on household food security, whereas household debt was found to be negatively associated with household food security. Moreover, the structural equation model analysis indicated that intra-household understanding related to food security directly and positively influenced household food security. Furthermore, intra-household understanding related to food security had a positive and indirect effect on household food security through social support in the local community, enhancing supplementary household occupation, and household self-reliance, respectively.