Food  security  issues  become  one  of  the  critical  concern  and  priority  area for developing  countries.  Having clear picture  on  food  security  status  and  its  major challenges  helps  policy  makers  and  planners  to  devise  new  policies  that  enhance  food security. Therefore, this study discusses the role of Productive Safety Net Program in enhancing household food security the case of rural areas of Semen Gonder Zone, Debark Woreda. The two rural Kebeles have been selected agro-ecologically (One was from Kolla and one Kebeles from Dega where selected based on simple random sampling techniques). To accomplish the study, the researcher was selected 130 household using purposive sampling methods. Both qualitative and quantitative data type were employed for the study from both primary and secondary sources. The study results indicated that Productive Safety Net Program was helping beneficiaries for consumption smoothing, asset accumulation, and development of the local community. However, the Productive Safety Net Program was significantly determined by age, education level of the household head, resources (assets) in household level, infrastructure, Lack good governance, and also natural, demographic, agricultural and institutional factors. Moreover, the study also revealed that the practice of Productive Safety Net Program was challenged by a lack of monitoring and evaluation of structures, low quota, low payment and limited awareness of beneficiaries. The coping strategies pursued by rural households in selected Kebele includes; Selling of fire wood, Migration, Daily wage labor, Handicrafts, Consumption responses, Church aid (giving cash/food) and Begging. Therefore, this study suggests that to assure the positive role of Productive Safety Net Program, culture of savings and accumulation of assets, engagement of beneficiary households in diversified asset building livelihood strategies, targeting and minimizing wrong inclusion and exclusion should be improved.

Keywords: Food Security, Household, direct support and public work, productive safety net program