Urban Expansion and Displacement: A Threat to Household Food Security in Addis Ababa

Strategic Insights -

Researchers at the University of South Africa have shed light on the critical link between urban expansion, land grabs, forced displacement, inadequate compensation, and food insecurity in households among displaced peri-urban farmers in Addis Ababa. The study used a mixed-method approach to investigate the food security status of displaced and non-displaced households in the Lemmi Kura subcities of Addis Ababa and the Kura Jidda subcities of Sheger City. The findings demonstrate a substantial decrease in food security among displaced households, with significant reductions in food availability, access, utilisation, and stability.

Key Takeaways:

  • The research found that displaced households had a 93.4% lower likelihood of food security compared to non-displaced households.
  • The logistic regression model revealed that displacement status, along with factors such as social capital and land security, significantly influences household food security.
  • The study highlights the discrepancies between Ethiopia's urbanisation rhetoric and the realities faced by displaced farmers, advocating for policy reforms that align urban growth with food sovereignty and agrarian justice.
  • The research underscores the importance of comprehensive addressing issues such as land grabs, forced displacement, and inadequate compensation to preserve food security and livelihoods for vulnerable peri-urban communities.
  • The study concludes that policymakers and urban planners can work toward more inclusive and sustainable urban development by considering the needs and rights of displaced farmers.

Statistics:

  • 93.4% lower likelihood of food security among displaced households compared to non-displaced households.
  • 2.717 negative coefficient indicates an inverse relationship between displacement status and food security.
  • 23 (3) edition of Studia Ecologiae et Bioethicae, the journal where the research was published.
  • 23 (3) Studia Ecologiae et Bioethicae published in August 2025.
  • Manufacturer of Studia Ecologiae et Bioethicae: Uniwersytet Kardynala Stefana Wyszynskiego w Warszawie.
  • Article DOI: 10.21697/seb.5856.

Sources:

  • "Effects of Urban Expansion and Dispossession on Household Food Security and Sustainable Livelihood of Displaced Preurban Farmers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia." Studia Ecologiae et Bioethicae, 2025, 23(3), https://doi-org.sdpl.idm.oclc.org/10.21697/seb.5856.
  • NewsRx. University of South Africa Researchers Detail Research in Sustainability Research (Effects of Urban Expansion and Dispossession on Household Food Security and Sustainable Livelihood of Displaced Preurban Farmers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia). Ecology, Environment & Conservation. August 8, 2025; p 1113.