Patterns of rural and urban food insecurity in Afghanistan after August 2021

Abstract This study examines the extent and severity of rural and urban food insecurity and compares policy-relevant characteristics of food-insecure rural and urban households in Afghanistan. We collected data from 899 rural and urban households in three provinces administering a semi-structured questionnaire in August and September 2023. We calculate comprehensive food insecurity measures (CARI and FIES) to quantify the prevalence and severity of food insecurity, using the capability approach to guide the analysis. Our results show that, while food insecurity is relatively more prevalent among rural households, urban households are worse off in current consumption status and per capita daily energy intake. Food-insecure urban households display a lower average monthly income and per-capita monthly income than food-insecure rural households, and they also suffer from higher income volatility. A smaller fraction of urban household members was employed or self-employed. Food-insecure rural households typically have access to irrigated land and livestock, they also possess the skills to make productive use of these assets. Food-insecure households’ large food expenditure shares, adoption of coping strategies, and lack of savings not only indicate their vulnerability to shocks but also suggest that they are trapped in a vicious cycle. The results underline the recent calls for more attention to specific forms of urban food insecurity. Moreover, they suggest policy measures to improve income generating opportunities among the urban population that was especially hard-hit by the economic consequences of the regime change in August 2021.