Urban Vulnerability to Food Insecurity Under Displacement Pressures: Evidence from Tigray, Ethiopia

Food insecurity remains a pressing challenge in conflict zones, where disrupted livelihoods, mass displacement, and eroded institutional support increase household risk. The armed conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region erupted in November 2020, devastating infrastructure, displacing over a million people, and amplifying urban hunger. This study assessed the effects of war-induced internal displacement on the vulnerability of urban households to food insecurity (VFI) in Tigray’s host communities. Using cross-sectional data from 560 households surveyed in May–June 2024, we computed food insecurity using the Household Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) and applied ordered logit regression to identify the drivers of VFI. The findings indicate that 14.46% of households were food-secure, with 21.43%, 35.54%, and 28.57% facing mild, moderate, and severe vulnerability, respectively. Significant predictors included household head age, education, widowed status (especially for women), and humanitarian aid receipt, allied with displacement scale and conflict damages, which elevated vulnerability. These results underscore the need for integrated interventions that blend emergency aid with livelihood restoration. Policies must target at-risk groups, rebuild assets, and enhance access to education and financial resources. Ultimately, facilitating the repatriation of internally displaced persons is vital for post-conflict recovery in the Tigray and analogous settings.