The study attempted to find out the effects of socio-economic and climatic shocks that influence the household food security status in the presence of farm efficiencies as its component. The farm level data collected from 537 farm families in the study area is available in panel group from 2005 to 2008. Food Security Index (FSI) is used as a dependent variable, and various socioeconomic and climatic variables were used as explanatory variables. Logit model was applied to estimate the relationships. The overall results show that 46% of the households were food insecure during the study period, while the remaining 54% were found food secure. The results revealed high level of food insecurity in the sampled districts that varies across cropping zones—cotton-wheat the least and mixed crops zone the most food secure. Tenants and households headed by aged members were found more food insecure. Households having access to any source of irrigation were found more food secure than those who did not have this facility. Climatic variables—precipitation and temperature deviations (shocks) do play significant role in determining the household food security status. The results of this study are evocative of a strong impact of climate change on the rain-fed areas of Punjab since these are water scarce regions relying on rain fall for cropping. The results are suggestive of the fact that fighting climate change through promotion of adaptation strategies and enhancing farm level production efficiencies with provision of formal education, facilitating consolidation of lands, and securing tenancy, shall be the key elements to improve the performance of the agriculture sector as well as the farm household food security.

Keywords: Climate change, Farm efficiencies, food security, household level panel data, Logit model