Many studies in Ethiopia, particularly in the Amhara region, lack comparative analyses household vulnerability to food insecurity across areas with varying agricultural productivThis study investigates food insecurity levels, vulnerability to food insecurity, and determinants in two woredas: Lay Gayint, characterized by low agricultural productivity, and Yilmana Densa, a high-yielding area. Employing a mixed-method research design, the study utilized multi-stage samplitechniques, including purposive, stratified, and systematic sampling, to select households. Outof an initial sample of 549 households, 493 were successfully interviewed due to securitconcerns. Data were collected by trained enumerators using the ODK toolbox on smartphones. The analysis applied the Consolidated Approach to Reporting Indicators of Food Securit(CARI) model for measuring food security, the Value at Risk (VaR) model for assessingvulnerability, and binary logistic regression to identify determinants of vulnerability. The results indicate a higher proportion of severely food-insecure households in Lay Gay(69.2%) compared to Yilmana Densa (48.15%). Vulnerability analysis revealed that 59.6%households in Lay Gayint fall into a medium-risk category, while 67.9% in Yilmana Densa areclassified as low-risk. Coping strategies also differ, with households in Lay Gayint employing more extreme measures. In Lay Gayint, determinants of vulnerability include age (-0.0024, p<0.001), education level (-0.0143, p<0.05), homeownership (0.0971, p<0.01), cultivated land (0.0573), total production (-9.28e-06), cash expenditure (-0.0000183), and livelihood assets (0.0248, p<0.01). In Yilmana Densa, key factors include age (0.0058), household size0.0769), marital status (-0.1115, p<0.1), access to treated water (0.2857), and total livestockunits (TLU) (-0.0509). The findings reveal that severe food insecurity and high vulnerabilities persist in both woredas, indicating that vulnerability is influenced by factors beyond agricultural production. The studemphasizes the need for multisectoral targeted interventions, including sustainable farmingpractices, community education, social protection, and enhanced economic resiliencCollaborative efforts from government and non-government actors are crucial in tackling barriers to food insecurity.