Some realities of the urban poor and their food security situations: a case study of Berta Gibi and Gemechu Safar in the city of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

This paper, based on qualitative research within two communities in Addis Ababa, identifies factors that impoverish households and expose them to chronic food shortages, and assesses their coping and survival strategies. A sustainable livelihood framework is used to explore how context, shocks, assets, institutions, activities and strategies interact in multiple ways to affect wellbeing and food security. Households were found to be vulnerable to a range of environmental factors and economic shocks, including poor sanitation, unhygienic environments, overcrowding, unemployment and limited access to financial capital. Their survival strategies include diversification of sources of income, living in slum areas and migration of household members.