Urban Food Insecurity in Ethiopia: A Review of Poverty Dynamics and the Role of Social Safety Nets

Abstract

The UPSNP is an Ethiopian Government initiative aimed at urban poverty. The program provides short-term transfer support for urban
households and offers services that improve community assets through the provision of labor-intensive public works. The paper presents empirical evidence and theoretical issues concerning the practices and challenges of safety net programs in the UPSNP of Jigjiga City, Somali Regional State. Rural safety net programs have been the focus of many studies but the absence of urban safety nets studies presents a gap. The assessment of literature identifies familiar patterns of recurring challenges, such as targeting errors, institutional weaknesses (including corruption), political interference, and limited resources. UPSNP shows it can help with food security, household asset protection and urban infrastructure upgrade despite these challenges. The primary purpose of this research is to fill the gap in research on UPSNP implementation by assessing UPSNP in urban areas. It is hoped that research findings can contribute to better understanding and better policy and program delivery.