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Food Insecurity and Coping Strategies in War-Affected Urban Settings of Tigray, Ethiopia

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  • Hafte Gebreselassie Gebrihet

    (Department of Pedagogy, Religion, and Social Studies, Faculty of Education, Arts and Sports, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, 5063 Bergen, Norway
    Department of Civics and Ethical Studies, Adigrat University, Adigrat 50, Tigray, Ethiopia)

  • Yibrah Hagos Gebresilassie

    (Department of Economics, Aksum University, Axum 1010, Tigray, Ethiopia
    School of Accounting, Economics and Finance, University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa)

  • Mekonen Aregai Gebreselassie

    (Department of Economics, Aksum University, Axum 1010, Tigray, Ethiopia)

Abstract

Armed conflict remains a significant global issue, with several studies highlighting its detrimental impact on the affected communities, making it a critical area of research. This study aimed to examine the effects of prolonged armed conflict on food security among urban households in Tigray, Ethiopia, and to examine their coping mechanisms. Primary data were collected from 740 urban households between May and June 2024. The Food Insecurity Access Scale (FIAS), Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES), and Food Consumption Score (FCS) were employed to assess the levels of food security, while the Livelihood Coping Strategy Index (LCSI) was used to identify coping strategies. The findings revealed that female-headed households were more affected by food insecurity than male-headed households. FIAS (FIES) scores indicated that 17% (2%) of households were food-secure, with 20% (25%) mildly, 35% (32%) moderately, and 29% (30%) severely food-insecure. The FCS analysis showed that 52% of households had poor food consumption, 33% were borderline, and 16% were acceptable. The findings show that 39% of urban households experienced hunger in the post-conflict period. Stress-level strategies are the most widely adopted coping mechanisms. These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted policy interventions that address the specific vulnerabilities of female-headed households and ensure the development of sustainable coping strategies to mitigate the long-term effects of food insecurity in war-affected urban settings. This study offers novel insights into the urban dimensions of food insecurity and coping strategies in post-conflict settings.

Suggested Citation

  • Hafte Gebreselassie Gebrihet & Yibrah Hagos Gebresilassie & Mekonen Aregai Gebreselassie, 2025. "Food Insecurity and Coping Strategies in War-Affected Urban Settings of Tigray, Ethiopia," Economies, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-23, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jecomi:v:13:y:2025:i:1:p:7-:d:1558352
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Alem-meta Assefa Agidew & K. N. Singh, 2018. "Determinants of food insecurity in the rural farm households in South Wollo Zone of Ethiopia: the case of the Teleyayen sub-watershed," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 6(1), pages 1-23, December.
    2. Seid Sani & Biruk Kemaw, 2019. "Analysis of households food insecurity and its coping mechanisms in Western Ethiopia," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 7(1), pages 1-20, December.
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