Food Security among Urban Households: Status, Determinant Factors and Coping Strategies Evidence From Chiro Town, West Harerge Zone, and Oromia Region, Ethiopia

This study assessed the food security status, identified determinants, and explored coping strategies among urban households in Chiro Town, Ethiopia. Addressing a research gap focusing on small, rapidly growing urban centers, the research employed a cross-sectional design and a mixed-method approach, surveying 392 households. Food security was assessed using daily calorie intake, with 2100 kcal per adult equivalent as the threshold. Findings revealed that a considerable portion of urban households faced food insecurity, with 34.44% classified as food insecure, including marginal, moderate, and severe levels. Significant determinants of food security included educational attainment, household income, access to remittances, and homeownership (positive associations), and larger family sizes, higher dependency ratios, and female household headship (negative associations). Occupational status, particularly daily labor, was linked to vulnerability. Households adopted various coping strategies, most notably reducing meals, engaging in daily labor, and borrowing money. More severe strategies, like selling assets or withdrawing children from school, were also employed, highlighting the depth of vulnerability. These results underscore the unique challenges and the need for targeted interventions in such small urban contexts.