This study investigated the householdsâ€™ food security status and indigenous coping strategies adoptedrnto overcome food shortage in Itang special wareda. Data for this study was collected through surveyrnfrom 260 randomly selected sampled households. The study also, conducted key informant interviewrnand, focus group discussion with discussants and personal field observation. Descriptive statisticsrnand regression models were used to identify determinants of householdsâ€™ food security. In addition,rnfood security analysis techniques were used to analyze the food security status and coping strategiesrnof the households. The results of household food insecurity access scale revealed that 13.46% ofrnhouseholds were food secure and 86.54% of households were food insecure. Binary logisticrnregression model was used to identify determinants of householdsâ€™ food security status. The resultrnshowed that among the variables included in the model, family size, educational level, livestockrnownership and distance from the market were statistically significant in affecting the dependentrnvariable. Family size and distance from the market affected householdsâ€™ food security negativelyrnwhereas education level and livestock ownership affected the extent of food security positively.rnMoreover, the study identified that selling livestock, reducing meal size, consume seed from stock andrnprepare local wine were the top four main coping mechanisms adopted to cope up the food shortagernin the study area. Finally, the study suggested that awareness of family planning; educated people torncatch up with model technology; modeling livestock rearing and saving institutional environmentrnwere recommended.