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Returning Home after Civil War: Food security, nutrition and poverty among Burundian households

Author

Listed:
  • Philip Verwimp

    (ECARES, Universit� Libre de Bruxelles)

  • Juan Carlos Mu�oz-Mora

    (ECARES, Universit� Libre de Bruxelles)

Abstract

Civil wars often force people to leave their homes. Displaced populations run higher risk in terms of disease, hunger and death, something that is well-documented. They leave their land, cattle and other assets behind for an uncertain existence in a refugee camp or depend on relatives or friends. But what happens when they return back home? This paper investigates the food security and poverty of formerly displaced households. Using the 2006 Core Welfare Indicator Survey for Burundi we compare their food intake and their level of expenses with that of their non-displaced neighbours. We test whether it is the duration of displacement that matters for current welfare or the time lapsed since returning. We use log- linear, ordered probit models as well as propensity score matching and an IV-approach to control by self-selection bias. We find that the individuals and households who returned home just before the time of the survey are worse off compared to those who returned several years earlier. On average, it takes 8 to 10 years after return before the level of welfare of the displaced converges to that of the non-displaced. The duration of displacement seems not to matter. On average, the formerly displaced have 7% lower food expenses and calorie intake, showing that the formerly displaced consume relatively more high calorie products. Results seem to be robust after controlling by self-selection bias. Despite international, government and NGO assistance, the welfare of recent returnees is lagging seriously behind in comparison with the local non-displaced populations.

Suggested Citation

  • Philip Verwimp & Juan Carlos Mu�oz-Mora, 2013. "Returning Home after Civil War: Food security, nutrition and poverty among Burundian households," HiCN Working Papers 123, Households in Conflict Network.
  • Handle: RePEc:hic:wpaper:123
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bundervoet, Tom, 2010. "Assets, Activity Choices, and Civil War: Evidence from Burundi," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(7), pages 955-965, July.
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    3. Verwimp, Philip, 2012. "Undernutrition, subsequent risk of mortality and civil war in Burundi," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 10(3), pages 221-231.
    4. Deininger,Klaus W., 2003. "Causes and consequences of civil strife - micro-level evidence from Uganda," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3045, The World Bank.
    5. Carlos Bozzoli & Tilman Brueck & Tony Muhumuza, 2016. "Activity Choices Of Internally Displaced Persons And Returnees: Quantitative Survey Evidence From Post-War Northern Uganda," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 68(4), pages 329-347, October.
    6. Behrman, Jere R, 1988. "Intrahousehold Allocation of Nutrients in Rural India: Are Boys Favored? Do Parents Exhibit Inequality Aversion?," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 40(1), pages 32-54, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Blog mentions

    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. A socio-economic characterization of returnee households in the Nuba Mountains
      by Dany Jaimovich - Bakary Baludin in Development Therapy on 2013-03-15 21:32:00

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    Cited by:

    1. Martin-Shields, Charles P. & Stojetz, Wolfgang, 2019. "Food security and conflict: Empirical challenges and future opportunities for research and policy making on food security and conflict," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 150-164.
    2. Fransen, Sonja & Ruiz, Isabel & Vargas-Silva, Carlos, 2017. "Return Migration and Economic Outcomes in the Conflict Context," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 196-210.
    3. Aghajanian, Alia Jane, 2016. "Social capital and conflict: impact and implications," Economics PhD Theses 0116, Department of Economics, University of Sussex Business School.
    4. Hoddinott, John F., 2011. "Agriculture, health, and nutrition: Toward conceptualizing the linkages," 2020 conference briefs 2, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    5. Asha Abdel-Rahim & Dany Jaimovich & Aleksi Ylönen, 2018. "Forced displacement and behavioral change: an empirical study of returnee households in the Nuba Mountains," Defence and Peace Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(2), pages 190-220, February.
    6. repec:hic:wpaper:203 is not listed on IDEAS

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    Keywords

    Forced Displacement; Food Security; Nutrition; Poverty; Burundi;
    All these keywords.

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