High manifestations of food insecurity and hunger among pregnant and lactating women during post-conflict in Tigray, Ethiopia: a community-based study

TL;DR

This study finds high levels of food insecurity and hunger among pregnant and lactating women in post-conflict Tigray, Ethiopia.

Contribution

The study provides the first detailed assessment of household food insecurity among pregnant and lactating women in Tigray after armed conflict.

Findings

88.8% of pregnant and lactating women experienced food insecurity.

50.1% of households experienced hunger one month before the study.

78.5% of families were worried about running out of food.

Abstract

Food insecurity is a state or condition in which people have limited or uncertain physical, social, and economic access to safe, sufficient, and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs. Since no thorough evaluation was carried out to determine the degree of household food insecurity in Tigrayan communities in the aftermath of the conflict. This study aims to describe household-level food insecurity status among pregnant and lactating women during the post-armed conflict in Tigray, Ethiopia.

Descriptive research was designed to assess household food insecurity. A multi-stage sampling technique was used for this study. One thousand two hundred forty-nine households were selected systematically following a list of food insecure households. Descriptive statistical values, including frequency counts, percentages, minimum values, maximum values, and averages, were calculated to quantify the indicators under study. Household food insecurity and hunger Scale measurement using the standardized Food and Agriculture Organization standard.

The mean age (± SD) of the mothers was 28.35 ± 5.91 years. More than three fourth of the participants 1010(80.93%) were rural residents. The survey result showed that 88.8% of the pregnant and lactating were food insecure. Half (50.1%) of the households were hungry,one month before the study, 78.5% of the families expressed concern about running out of food and 6.4% had severe hunger.

The food insecurity levels and hunger prestige of the study communities were excessively high. This is in the context of a region affected by intense armed conflict. It is commended that the study communities need to be safeguarded from the direct and long-term consequences of armed conflict-caused household food insecurity.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12884-024-06550-8.