Post-Conflict Determinants of Household Food Security and Adaptive Coping Strategies in South Wollo Zone, Ethiopia

Background: Violent conflict exacerbates food insecurity by disrupting agricultural production, markets, and mobility. Accordingly, South Wollo Zone, already vulnerable to climate shocks, suffered severe destruction and loss of life during the northern Ethiopia conflict. This study assessed post-conflict household food security using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) in selected districts of South Wollo Zone, Ethiopia. It also identified determinant factors of food security and examined consumption-related coping strategies during and after the conflict. Methods: A mixed cross-sectional research design was used in this project. Data were collected from 422 randomly selected households, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions, which were complemented by a review of related literature. A HFIAS was also analyzed using ordered logistic regression to identify determinant factors, as implemented in Stata software. Results: The results reveal that 45% of the households are severely food insecure, 39% are moderately insecure, 7% are mildly insecure, and only 9% are food secure in the conflict-affected districts of South Wollo Zone. Households with more livestock and larger landholdings were more food secure, while conflict-related losses increased vulnerability. Besides, wealth index and off-farm participation are positively associated with household food security. The impact of drought was dependent on the sufficiency and timeliness of assistance. Thus, households adopted various coping strategies, including dietary changes (89%), rationing (79%), short-term food acquisition (59%), and reducing household size (15%). Conclusions: Violent conflict disrupts food systems and exacerbates vulnerabilities, leading to negative coping strategies. Conflict-sensitive interventions, off-farm livelihood support, and livestock restocking are also crucial for recovery.